Digital viewfinder user interface for multiple cameras

ABSTRACT

An electronic device has multiple cameras and displays a digital viewfinder user interface for previewing visual information provided by the cameras. The multiple cameras may have different properties such as focal lengths. When a single digital viewfinder is provided, the user interface allows zooming over a zoom range that includes the respective zoom ranges of both cameras. The zoom setting to determine which camera provides visual information to the viewfinder and which camera is used to capture visual information. The user interface also allows the simultaneous display of content provided by different cameras at the same time. When two digital viewfinders are provided, the user interface allows zooming, freezing, and panning of one digital viewfinder independently of the other. The device allows storing of a composite images and/or videos using both digital viewfinders and corresponding cameras.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/151,955, entitled “DIGITAL VIEWFINDER USER INTERFACE FOR MULTIPLECAMERAS,” filed on Apr. 23, 2015, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD

The disclosed examples relate generally to user interfaces of electronicdevices, particularly devices having built-in cameras.

BACKGROUND

Some portable electronic devices have built-in cameras. These devicesmay provide digital viewfinders for user-interaction with the cameras.The digital viewfinders may allow variable image zooming through the useof optical and/or digital magnification. Optical magnification providesbetter visual quality but introduces complexities in the device'soptical train, as optical zooming is achieved by moving physicalcomponents (e.g., lenses) along a physical, optical train. Digitalmagnification avoids these complexities, thereby permitting moreefficient device packaging, but may suffer in visual quality.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, at an electronic device with a first camera, asecond camera, and a display, performing a method comprising: displayinga digital viewfinder comprising content from one of the first and secondcameras displayed at a zoom setting; detecting input representing aninstruction to store visual media; in response to detecting the inputrepresenting the instruction to store visual media: in accordance with adetermination that the zoom setting is below a threshold zoom value,storing visual media using content from the first camera; and inaccordance with a determination that the zoom setting is above thethreshold zoom value, storing visual media using content from the secondcamera.

In some embodiments, at an electronic device with a first camera, asecond camera, and a display, performing a method comprising:displaying, in a first portion of the display, a first digitalviewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content from thefirst camera; displaying, in a second portion of the display, a seconddigital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying contentfrom the second camera; detecting a first input representing aninstruction to zoom the first digital viewfinder; in response todetecting the first input, zooming the first digital viewfinderindependently of the second digital viewfinder; detecting a second inputrepresenting an instruction to freeze the first digital viewfinder; andin response to detecting the second input, freezing the first digitalviewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, at an electronic device with a first camera, asecond camera, and a display, performing a method comprising: displayingin a first portion of the display a first digital viewfinder, the firstdigital viewfinder displaying content from the first camera; displayingin a second portion of the display a second digital viewfinder, thesecond digital viewfinder displaying content from the second camera;detecting a first input; and in response to detecting the first input,concurrently storing first visual media using content from the firstcamera and storing second visual media using content from the secondcamera, wherein the first and the second cameras have overlapping fieldsof view, and wherein the first visual media and the second visual mediahave different visual characteristics.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display a digital viewfinder comprising contentfrom one of a first and a second camera displayed at a zoom setting;detect input representing an instruction to store visual media; inresponse to detecting the input representing the instruction to storevisual media: in accordance with a determination that the zoom settingis below a threshold zoom value, store visual media using content fromthe first camera; and in accordance with a determination that the zoomsetting is above the threshold zoom value, store visual media usingcontent from the second camera.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display, in a first portion of a display, a firstdigital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content froma first camera; display, in a second portion of the display, a seconddigital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying contentfrom a second camera; detect a first input representing an instructionto zoom the first digital viewfinder; in response to detecting the firstinput, zooming the first digital viewfinder independently of the seconddigital viewfinder; detect a second input representing an instruction tofreeze the first digital viewfinder; and in response to detecting thesecond input, freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of thesecond digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display in a first portion of the display a firstdigital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content fromthe first camera; display in a second portion of the display a seconddigital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying contentfrom the second camera; detect a first input; and in response todetecting the first input, concurrently store first visual media usingcontent from the first camera and store second visual media usingcontent from the second camera, wherein the first and the second camerashave overlapping fields of view, and wherein the first visual media andthe second visual media have different visual characteristics.

In some embodiments, a transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display a digital viewfinder comprising contentfrom one of a first and a second camera displayed at a zoom setting;detect input representing an instruction to store visual media; inresponse to detecting the input representing the instruction to storevisual media: in accordance with a determination that the zoom settingis below a threshold zoom value, store visual media using content fromthe first camera; and in accordance with a determination that the zoomsetting is above the threshold zoom value, store visual media usingcontent from the second camera.

In some embodiments, a transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display, in a first portion of a display, a firstdigital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content froma first camera; display, in a second portion of the display, a seconddigital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying contentfrom a second camera; detect a first input representing an instructionto zoom the first digital viewfinder; in response to detecting the firstinput, zooming the first digital viewfinder independently of the seconddigital viewfinder; detect a second input representing an instruction tofreeze the first digital viewfinder; and in response to detecting thesecond input, freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of thesecond digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, a transitory computer readable storage mediumstores computer-executable instructions, the computer-executableinstructions comprising instructions, which when executed by a device,cause the device to: display in a first portion of the display a firstdigital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinder displaying content fromthe first camera; display in a second portion of the display a seconddigital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying contentfrom the second camera; detect a first input; and in response todetecting the first input, concurrently store first visual media usingcontent from the first camera and store second visual media usingcontent from the second camera, wherein the first and the second camerashave overlapping fields of view, and wherein the first visual media andthe second visual media have different visual characteristics.

In some embodiments, a device comprises: one or more processors; amemory; and computer-executable instructions, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are stored in the memory and configuredto be executed by the one or more processors, the computer-executableinstructions including instructions for: display a digital viewfindercomprising content from one of a first and a second camera displayed ata zoom setting; detect input representing an instruction to store visualmedia; in response to detecting the input representing the instructionto store visual media: in accordance with a determination that the zoomsetting is below a threshold zoom value, store visual media usingcontent from the first camera; and in accordance with a determinationthat the zoom setting is above the threshold zoom value, store visualmedia using content from the second camera.

In some embodiments, a device comprises: one or more processors; amemory; and computer-executable instructions, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are stored in the memory and configuredto be executed by the one or more processors, the computer-executableinstructions including instructions for: display, in a first portion ofa display, a first digital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinderdisplaying content from a first camera; display, in a second portion ofthe display, a second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinderdisplaying content from a second camera; detect a first inputrepresenting an instruction to zoom the first digital viewfinder; inresponse to detecting the first input, zooming the first digitalviewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder; detect asecond input representing an instruction to freeze the first digitalviewfinder; and in response to detecting the second input, freezing thefirst digital viewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, a device comprises: one or more processors; amemory; and computer-executable instructions, wherein thecomputer-executable instructions are stored in the memory and configuredto be executed by the one or more processors, the computer-executableinstructions including instructions for: display in a first portion ofthe display a first digital viewfinder, the first digital viewfinderdisplaying content from the first camera; display in a second portion ofthe display a second digital viewfinder, the second digital viewfinderdisplaying content from the second camera; detect a first input; and inresponse to detecting the first input, concurrently store first visualmedia using content from the first camera and store second visual mediausing content from the second camera, wherein the first and the secondcameras have overlapping fields of view, and wherein the first visualmedia and the second visual media have different visual characteristics.

In some embodiments, a device, comprises: means for displaying a digitalviewfinder comprising content from one of a first and a second cameradisplayed at a zoom setting; means for detecting input representing aninstruction to store visual media; means for, in response to detectingthe input representing the instruction to store: in accordance with adetermination that the zoom setting is below a threshold zoom value,storing visual media using content from the first camera; and inaccordance with a determination that the zoom setting is above thethreshold zoom value, storing visual media using content from the secondcamera.

In some embodiments, a device, comprises: means for displaying, in afirst portion of the display, a first digital viewfinder, the firstdigital viewfinder displaying content from the first camera; means fordisplaying, in a second portion of the display, a second digitalviewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from thesecond camera; means for detecting a first input representing aninstruction to zoom the first digital viewfinder; means for, in responseto detecting the first input, zooming the first digital viewfinderindependently of the second digital viewfinder; means for detecting asecond input representing an instruction to freeze the first digitalviewfinder; and means for, in response to detecting the second input,freezing the first digital viewfinder independently of the seconddigital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, a device, comprises: means for displaying in afirst portion of the display a first digital viewfinder, the firstdigital viewfinder displaying content from a first camera; means fordisplaying in a second portion of the display a second digitalviewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from asecond camera; means for detecting a first input; and means for, inresponse to detecting the first input, concurrently storing first visualmedia using content from the first camera and storing second visualmedia using content from the second camera, wherein the first and thesecond cameras have overlapping fields of view, and wherein the firstvisual media and the second visual media have different visualcharacteristics.

In some embodiments, a device, comprises: a display unit configured todisplaying one or more digital viewfinders; an input detection unitconfigured to detect input representing an instruction to store visualmedia; a processing unit operatively coupled to the display unit and theinput detection unit, configured to enable display, via the displayunit, of a digital viewfinder comprising content from one of a first anda second camera displayed at a zoom setting; and a visual media storingunit configured to: store visual media using content from the firstcamera, in response to detecting the input representing the instructionto store visual media, and in accordance with a determination that thezoom setting is below a threshold zoom value; and store visual mediausing content from the second camera, in response to detecting the inputrepresenting the instruction to store visual media, and in accordancewith a determination that the zoom setting is above the threshold zoomvalue.

In some embodiments, a device, comprises: a display unit configured todisplaying two or more digital viewfinders; an input detection unit; anda processing unit operatively coupled to the display unit and the inputdetection unit, configured to: enable display, via a first portion ofthe display unit, of a first digital viewfinder, the first digitalviewfinder displaying content from a first camera, and enable display,via a second portion of the display unit, of a second digitalviewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from asecond camera; detect, via the input detection unit, a first inputrepresenting an instruction to zoom the first digital viewfinder; inresponse to detecting the first input, zoom the first digital viewfinderindependently of the second digital viewfinder; detect, via the inputdetection unit, a second input representing an instruction to freeze thefirst digital viewfinder; and in response to detecting the second input,freeze the first digital viewfinder independently of the second digitalviewfinder.

In some embodiments, a device comprises: a display unit configured todisplaying two or more digital viewfinders; an input detection unit; aprocessing unit operatively coupled to the display unit and the inputdetection unit, configured to: enable display, via a first portion ofthe display unit, of a first digital viewfinder, the first digitalviewfinder displaying content from a first camera; enable display, via asecond portion of the display unit, of a second digital viewfinder, thesecond digital viewfinder displaying content from a second camera;detect, via the input detection unit, a first input; and a visual mediastoring unit configured to, in response to detecting the first input,concurrently store first visual media using content from the firstcamera and store second visual media using content from the secondcamera, wherein the first and the second cameras have overlapping fieldsof view, and wherein the first visual media and the second visual mediahave different visual characteristics.

Executable instructions for performing these functions are, optionally,included in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or othercomputer program product configured for execution by one or moreprocessors. Executable instructions for performing these functions are,optionally, included in a transitory computer-readable storage medium orother computer program product configured for execution by one or moreprocessors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a better understanding of the various described embodiments,reference should be made to the Description of Embodiments below, inconjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numeralsrefer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a portable multifunction devicewith a touch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for eventhandling in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2A illustrates a portable multifunction device having atouch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2B illustrates a portable multifunction device having multiplecameras in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an exemplary user interface for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5T illustrate exemplary user interfaces for providingviewfinder zoom capabilities using multiple cameras in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6G illustrate exemplary user interfaces for storing visualcontent using multiple cameras in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary user interface for storing visualcontent using multiple cameras in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 8A-8C are flow diagrams illustrating an exemplary process forproviding viewfinder zoom capabilities using multiple cameras inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process for storingvisual content using multiple cameras in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process for storingvisual content using multiple cameras in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of an electronic device configuredto utilize multiple cameras to capture images and/or videos inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of an electronic device configuredto utilize multiple cameras to capture images and/or videos inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram of an electronic device configuredto utilize multiple cameras to capture images and/or videos inaccordance with some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following description sets forth exemplary methods, parameters, andthe like. It should be recognized, however, that such description is notintended as a limitation on the scope of the present disclosure but isinstead provided as a description of exemplary embodiments.

Efficient device packaging allows desirable, highly-portable electronicdevices to be designed and manufactured. But, some electronic devicecomponents complicate the design of smaller devices, particularlythinner ones. Camera sensors and related components constitute anexample: they involve physical components organized along optical trainsthat lend to thicker designs. Consider, for instance, the ability of acamera (e.g., CCD sensor and related lenses) to perform variable opticalzooming depends on the arrangement of moveable (e.g., motorized)lens(es) among an optical train. When incorporated into cellular phones,the usual orientation of camera components is at odds with theform-factor of the overall phone: the camera's optical train typicallyruns along the thickness of the device. The use of cameras of thinnerdesign—such as fixed focal length cameras—introduces other issues.Namely, fixed focal length cameras do not have variable, optical zoomcapabilities. While it is still possible to perform digital zooming,digital zooming impacts image quality.

The embodiments described herein include electronic devices that utilizemultiple cameras to provide improved camera capabilities. In someembodiments, multiple cameras of fixed focal length are used withvariable digital magnification to mimic optical zooming capabilities.The described embodiments also include complementary user interfacesthat enable these improved camera capabilities.

Together, the described embodiments permit efficient packaging andproduction of thin and light devices, while improving the performance ofthe device's camera optical capabilities. The use of fixed focal lengthcameras is beneficial as they are thinner than their variable focallength counterparts. The use of multiple cameras permit an approximationof optical zoom even if the underlying cameras are not capable ofvariable optical magnification. Intuitive user interfaces allow users toleverage the benefits of multiple on-board cameras without placing unduecognitive burdens on the user, thereby producing a more efficienthuman-machine interface. In battery-operated embodiments, the describedembodiments also conserve power and increase run-time between batterycharges, as the use of fixed focal length cameras to simulate opticalzooming avoids battery consumption by motorized lenses used inconventional variable, optical zooming cameras.

Below, FIGS. 1A-1B, 2, 3, 4A-4B, and 11 provide a description ofexemplary devices that utilize multiple cameras to provide camerazooming, and other related capabilities. FIGS. 5A-5T, 6A-6G, and 7illustrate exemplary user interfaces supporting these capabilities.These figures are also used to illustrate the processes described below,including those described in FIGS. 8A-8C, 9, and 10.

Although the following description uses terms “first,” “second,” etc. todescribe various elements, these elements should not be limited by theterms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element fromanother. For example, a first touch could be termed a second touch, and,similarly, a second touch could be termed a first touch, withoutdeparting from the scope of the various described embodiments. The firsttouch and the second touch are both touches, but they are not the sametouch.

The terminology used in the description of the various describedembodiments herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used in thedescription of the various described embodiments and the appendedclaims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as usedherein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations ofone or more of the associated listed items. It will be furtherunderstood that the terms “includes,” “including,” “comprises,” and/or“comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence ofstated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/orcomponents, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or moreother features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components,and/or groups thereof.

The term “if” is, optionally, construed to mean “when” or “upon” or “inresponse to determining” or “in response to detecting,” depending on thecontext. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [a statedcondition or event] is detected” is, optionally, construed to mean “upondetermining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [thestated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the statedcondition or event],” depending on the context.

Embodiments of electronic devices, user interfaces for such devices, andassociated processes for using such devices are described. In someembodiments, the device is a portable communications device, such as amobile telephone, that also contains other functions, such as PDA and/ormusic player functions. Exemplary embodiments of portable multifunctiondevices include, without limitation, the iPhone®, iPod Touch®, and iPad®devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other portable electronicdevices, such as laptops or tablet computers with touch-sensitivesurfaces (e.g., touch screen displays and/or touchpads), are,optionally, used. It should also be understood that, in someembodiments, the device is not a portable communications device, but isa desktop computer with a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touch screendisplay and/or a touchpad).

In the discussion that follows, an electronic device that includes adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface is described. It should beunderstood, however, that the electronic device optionally includes oneor more other physical user-interface devices, such as button(s), aphysical keyboard, a mouse, and/or a joystick.

The device typically supports a variety of applications, such as one ormore of the following: a drawing application, a presentationapplication, a word processing application, a website creationapplication, a disk authoring application, a spreadsheet application, agaming application, a telephone application, a video conferencingapplication, an e-mail application, an instant messaging application, aworkout support application, a photo management application, a digitalcamera application, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that are executed on the device optionally useat least one common physical user-interface device, such as thetouch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the touch-sensitivesurface as well as corresponding information displayed on the deviceare, optionally, adjusted and/or varied from one application to the nextand/or within a respective application. In this way, a common physicalarchitecture (such as the touch-sensitive surface) of the deviceoptionally supports the variety of applications with user interfacesthat are intuitive and transparent to the user.

Attention is now directed toward embodiments of portable devices withtouch-sensitive displays. FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustratingportable multifunction device 100 with touch-sensitive display system112 in accordance with some embodiments. Touch-sensitive display 112 issometimes called a “touch screen” for convenience, and is sometimesknown as or called a “touch-sensitive display system.” Device 100includes memory 102 (which optionally includes one or morecomputer-readable storage mediums), memory controller 122, one or moreprocessing units (CPUs) 120, peripherals interface 118, RF circuitry108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, microphone 113, input/output(I/O) subsystem 106, other input or control devices 116, and externalport 124. In some embodiments, microphone 113 has at least twomicrophones to support the performance of certain DSP functions. Device100 optionally includes one or more optical sensors 164. Device 100optionally includes one or more contact intensity sensors 165 fordetecting intensity of contacts on device 100 (e.g., a touch-sensitivesurface such as touch-sensitive display system 112 of device 100).Device 100 optionally includes one or more tactile output generators 167for generating tactile outputs on device 100 (e.g., generating tactileoutputs on a touch-sensitive surface such as touch-sensitive displaysystem 112 of device 100 or touchpad 355 of device 300). Thesecomponents optionally communicate over one or more communication busesor signal lines 103.

As used in the specification and claims, the term “intensity” of acontact on a touch-sensitive surface refers to the force or pressure(force per unit area) of a contact (e.g., a finger contact) on thetouch-sensitive surface, or to a substitute (proxy) for the force orpressure of a contact on the touch-sensitive surface. The intensity of acontact has a range of values that includes at least four distinctvalues and more typically includes hundreds of distinct values (e.g., atleast 256). Intensity of a contact is, optionally, determined (ormeasured) using various approaches and various sensors or combinationsof sensors. For example, one or more force sensors underneath oradjacent to the touch-sensitive surface are, optionally, used to measureforce at various points on the touch-sensitive surface. In someimplementations, force measurements from multiple force sensors arecombined (e.g., a weighted average) to determine an estimated force of acontact. Similarly, a pressure-sensitive tip of a stylus is, optionally,used to determine a pressure of the stylus on the touch-sensitivesurface. Alternatively, the size of the contact area detected on thetouch-sensitive surface and/or changes thereto, the capacitance of thetouch-sensitive surface proximate to the contact and/or changes thereto,and/or the resistance of the touch-sensitive surface proximate to thecontact and/or changes thereto are, optionally, used as a substitute forthe force or pressure of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface. Insome implementations, the substitute measurements for contact force orpressure are used directly to determine whether an intensity thresholdhas been exceeded (e.g., the intensity threshold is described in unitscorresponding to the substitute measurements). In some implementations,the substitute measurements for contact force or pressure are convertedto an estimated force or pressure and the estimated force or pressure isused to determine whether an intensity threshold has been exceeded(e.g., the intensity threshold is a pressure threshold measured in unitsof pressure). Using the intensity of a contact as an attribute of a userinput allows for user access to additional device functionality that mayotherwise not be accessible by the user on a reduced-size device withlimited real estate for displaying affordances (e.g., on atouch-sensitive display) and/or receiving user input (e.g., via atouch-sensitive display, a touch-sensitive surface, or aphysical/mechanical control such as a knob or a button).

As used in the specification and claims, the term “tactile output”refers to physical displacement of a device relative to a previousposition of the device, physical displacement of a component (e.g., atouch-sensitive surface) of a device relative to another component(e.g., housing) of the device, or displacement of the component relativeto a center of mass of the device that will be detected by a user withthe user's sense of touch. For example, in situations where the deviceor the component of the device is in contact with a surface of a userthat is sensitive to touch (e.g., a finger, palm, or other part of auser's hand), the tactile output generated by the physical displacementwill be interpreted by the user as a tactile sensation corresponding toa perceived change in physical characteristics of the device or thecomponent of the device. For example, movement of a touch-sensitivesurface (e.g., a touch-sensitive display or trackpad) is, optionally,interpreted by the user as a “down click” or “up click” of a physicalactuator button. In some cases, a user will feel a tactile sensationsuch as an “down click” or “up click” even when there is no movement ofa physical actuator button associated with the touch-sensitive surfacethat is physically pressed (e.g., displaced) by the user's movements. Asanother example, movement of the touch-sensitive surface is, optionally,interpreted or sensed by the user as “roughness” of the touch-sensitivesurface, even when there is no change in smoothness of thetouch-sensitive surface. While such interpretations of touch by a userwill be subject to the individualized sensory perceptions of the user,there are many sensory perceptions of touch that are common to a largemajority of users. Thus, when a tactile output is described ascorresponding to a particular sensory perception of a user (e.g., an “upclick,” a “down click,” “roughness”), unless otherwise stated, thegenerated tactile output corresponds to physical displacement of thedevice or a component thereof that will generate the described sensoryperception for a typical (or average) user.

It should be appreciated that device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device, and that device 100 optionally has moreor fewer components than shown, optionally combines two or morecomponents, or optionally has a different configuration or arrangementof the components. The various components shown in FIG. 1A areimplemented in hardware, software, or a combination of both hardware andsoftware, including one or more signal processing and/orapplication-specific integrated circuits.

Memory 102 optionally includes high-speed random access memory andoptionally also includes non-volatile memory, such as one or moremagnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or othernon-volatile solid-state memory devices. Memory controller 122optionally controls access to memory 102 by other components of device100.

Peripherals interface 118 can be used to couple input and outputperipherals of the device to CPU 120 and memory 102. The one or moreprocessors 120 run or execute various software programs and/or sets ofinstructions stored in memory 102 to perform various functions fordevice 100 and to process data. In some embodiments, peripheralsinterface 118, CPU 120, and memory controller 122 are, optionally,implemented on a single chip, such as chip 104. In some otherembodiments, they are, optionally, implemented on separate chips.

RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals, alsocalled electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 converts electricalsignals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 optionally includes well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. RFcircuitry 108 optionally communicates with networks, such as theInternet, also referred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranetand/or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, awireless local area network (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network(MAN), and other devices by wireless communication. The RF circuitry 108optionally includes well-known circuitry for detecting near fieldcommunication (NFC) fields, such as by a short-range communicationradio. The wireless communication optionally uses any of a plurality ofcommunications standards, protocols, and technologies, including but notlimited to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced DataGSM Environment (EDGE), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA),high-speed uplink packet access (HSUPA), Evolution, Data-Only (EV-DO),HSPA, HSPA+, Dual-Cell HSPA (DC-HSPDA), long term evolution (LTE), nearfield communication (NFC), wideband code division multiple access(W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multipleaccess (TDMA), Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE), Wireless Fidelity(Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n,and/or IEEE 802.11ac), voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, aprotocol for e-mail (e.g., Internet message access protocol (IMAP)and/or post office protocol (POP)), instant messaging (e.g., extensiblemessaging and presence protocol (XMPP), Session Initiation Protocol forInstant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), InstantMessaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service(SMS), or any other suitable communication protocol, includingcommunication protocols not yet developed as of the filing date of thisdocument.

Audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, and microphone 113 provide an audiointerface between a user and device 100. Audio circuitry 110 receivesaudio data from peripherals interface 118, converts the audio data to anelectrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to speaker 111.Speaker 111 converts the electrical signal to human-audible sound waves.Audio circuitry 110 also receives electrical signals converted bymicrophone 113 from sound waves. Audio circuitry 110 converts theelectrical signal to audio data and transmits the audio data toperipherals interface 118 for processing. Audio data is, optionally,retrieved from and/or transmitted to memory 102 and/or RF circuitry 108by peripherals interface 118. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 110also includes a headset jack (e.g., 212, FIG. 2). The headset jackprovides an interface between audio circuitry 110 and removable audioinput/output peripherals, such as output-only headphones or a headsetwith both output (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears) and input(e.g., a microphone).

I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on device 100, suchas touch screen 112 and other input control devices 116, to peripheralsinterface 118. I/O subsystem 106 optionally includes display controller156, optical sensor(s) controller 158, intensity sensor controller 159,haptic feedback controller 161, and one or more input controllers 160for other input or control devices. The one or more input controllers160 receive/send electrical signals from/to other input or controldevices 116. The other input control devices 116 optionally includephysical buttons (e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, etc.), dials,slider switches, joysticks, click wheels, and so forth. In somealternate embodiments, input controller(s) 160 are, optionally, coupledto any (or none) of the following: a keyboard, an infrared port, a USBport, and a pointer device such as a mouse. The one or more buttons(e.g., 208, FIG. 2) optionally include an up/down button for volumecontrol of speaker 111 and/or microphone 113. The one or more buttonsoptionally include a push button (e.g., 206, FIG. 2).

A quick press of the push button optionally disengages a lock of touchscreen 112 or optionally begins a process that uses gestures on thetouch screen to unlock the device, as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device by PerformingGestures on an Unlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, U.S. Pat. No.7,657,849, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Alonger press of the push button (e.g., 206) optionally turns power todevice 100 on or off. The functionality of one or more of the buttonsare, optionally, user-customizable. Touch screen 112 is used toimplement virtual or soft buttons and one or more soft keyboards.

Touch-sensitive display 112 provides an input interface and an outputinterface between the device and a user. Display controller 156 receivesand/or sends electrical signals from/to touch screen 112. Touch screen112 displays visual output to the user. The visual output optionallyincludes graphics, text, icons, video, and any combination thereof(collectively termed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some or all ofthe visual output optionally corresponds to user-interface objects.

Touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor, or set ofsensors that accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactilecontact. Touch screen 112 and display controller 156 (along with anyassociated modules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detectcontact (and any movement or breaking of the contact) on touch screen112 and convert the detected contact into interaction withuser-interface objects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages,or images) that are displayed on touch screen 112. In an exemplaryembodiment, a point of contact between touch screen 112 and the usercorresponds to a finger of the user.

Touch screen 112 optionally uses LCD (liquid crystal display)technology, LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, or LED(light emitting diode) technology, although other display technologiesare used in other embodiments. Touch screen 112 and display controller156 optionally detect contact and any movement or breaking thereof usingany of a plurality of touch sensing technologies now known or laterdeveloped, including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared,and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximitysensor arrays or other elements for determining one or more points ofcontact with touch screen 112. In an exemplary embodiment, projectedmutual capacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found in theiPhone® and iPod Touch® from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch screen 112 is,optionally, analogous to the multi-touch sensitive touchpads describedin the following U.S. Pat. No. 6,323,846 (Westerman et al.), U.S. Pat.No. 6,570,557 (Westerman et al.), and/or U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,932(Westerman), and/or U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0015024A1, each ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However,touch screen 112 displays visual output from device 100, whereastouch-sensitive touchpads do not provide visual output.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch screen 112 isdescribed in the following applications: (1) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/381,313, “Multipoint Touch Surface Controller,” filed May 2,2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862, “MultipointTouchscreen,” filed May 6, 2004; (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/903,964, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jul. 30,2004; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/048,264, “Gestures ForTouch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical User InterfacesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (6) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,758, “Virtual Input Device Placement On ATouch Screen User Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (7) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,700, “Operation Of A Computer With A TouchScreen Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (8) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/228,737, “Activating Virtual Keys Of A Touch-Screen VirtualKeyboard,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; and (9) U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,” filed Mar. 3, 2006. Allof these applications are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

Touch screen 112 optionally has a video resolution in excess of 100 dpi.In some embodiments, the touch screen has a video resolution ofapproximately 160 dpi. The user optionally makes contact with touchscreen 112 using any suitable object or appendage, such as a stylus, afinger, and so forth. In some embodiments, the user interface isdesigned to work primarily with finger-based contacts and gestures,which can be less precise than stylus-based input due to the larger areaof contact of a finger on the touch screen. In some embodiments, thedevice translates the rough finger-based input into a precisepointer/cursor position or command for performing the actions desired bythe user.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device 100optionally includes a touchpad (not shown) for activating ordeactivating particular functions. In some embodiments, the touchpad isa touch-sensitive area of the device that, unlike the touch screen, doesnot display visual output. The touchpad is, optionally, atouch-sensitive surface that is separate from touch screen 112 or anextension of the touch-sensitive surface formed by the touch screen.

Device 100 also includes power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. Power system 162 optionally includes a power managementsystem, one or more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current(AC)), a recharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a powerconverter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emittingdiode (LED)) and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more optical sensors 164.FIGS. 1A and 1B show an optical sensor coupled to optical sensorcontroller 158 in I/O subsystem 106. Optical sensor 164 optionallyincludes charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) phototransistors. Optical sensor 164 receives lightfrom the environment, projected through one or more lenses, and convertsthe light to data representing an image. In conjunction with imagingmodule 143 (also called a camera module), optical sensor 164 optionallycaptures still images or video.

The term “camera” is used herein as encompassing an optical system thatis formed by an optical sensor (e.g., 164) and one or more lensesthrough which light is projected to reach the optical sensor (andoptionally, other related components). Such an optical system—acamera—can have a fixed focal length, meaning that the focal length,field of view, and optical magnification properties (if any) of theoptical system is fixed, among other things. Cameras having a fixedfocus length may also be described as having a prime lens. Or, a cameracan have a variable focal length, meaning that the optical magnificationproperties of the optical system can change, such as by changing theposition of one or more lenses with respect to the optical sensor withinan optical train of the optical system. In some embodiments, device 100has an optical sensor and corresponding lens(es) that form a camera offixed focal length. In some embodiments, device 100 has an opticalsensor and corresponding lens(es) that form a camera of variable focallength.

Moreover, device 100 can have one or more cameras of either design. Insome embodiments, device 100 has two or more cameras located on asurface, for example, on its back, opposite touch screen display 112 onthe front of the device, so that the touch screen display is enabled foruse as a viewfinder for still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, device 100 has two or more cameras located on its front, sothat the user's image is, optionally, obtained for video conferencingwhile the user views the other video conference participants on thetouch screen display. In some embodiments, the position of opticalsensor 164 can be changed by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens andthe sensor in the device housing) so that a single optical sensor 164 isused along with the touch screen display for both video conferencing andstill and/or video image acquisition.

When two or more cameras are located on a surface of device 100, theoptical axes of the cameras is, optionally, arranged such that they areparallel. Put another way, the cameras capture overlapping fields ofview, for example, at least 50%, at least 90%, or more, in variousembodiments. The cameras preferably have different focal lengths,meaning that one camera is of a wider-angle design—has a wider field ofview but lower optical magnification—while another camera is of ahigher-magnification design—has a narrower field of view but highernative optical magnification.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more contact intensitysensors 165. FIG. 1A shows a contact intensity sensor coupled tointensity sensor controller 159 in I/O subsystem 106. Contact intensitysensor 165 optionally includes one or more piezoresistive strain gauges,capacitive force sensors, electric force sensors, piezoelectric forcesensors, optical force sensors, capacitive touch-sensitive surfaces, orother intensity sensors (e.g., sensors used to measure the force (orpressure) of a contact on a touch-sensitive surface). Contact intensitysensor 165 receives contact intensity information (e.g., pressureinformation or a proxy for pressure information) from the environment.In some embodiments, at least one contact intensity sensor is collocatedwith, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., touch-sensitivedisplay system 112). In some embodiments, at least one contact intensitysensor is located on the back of device 100, opposite touch screendisplay 112, which is located on the front of device 100.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more proximity sensors 166.FIGS. 1A and 1B show proximity sensor 166 coupled to peripheralsinterface 118. Alternately, proximity sensor 166 is, optionally, coupledto input controller 160 in I/O subsystem 106. Proximity sensor 166optionally performs as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/241,839, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device”; Ser. No.11/240,788, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device”; Ser. No.11/620,702, “Using Ambient Light Sensor To Augment Proximity SensorOutput”; Ser. No. 11/586,862, “Automated Response To And Sensing Of UserActivity In Portable Devices”; and Ser. No. 11/638,251, “Methods AndSystems For Automatic Configuration Of Peripherals,” which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety. In some embodiments, theproximity sensor turns off and disables touch screen 112 when themultifunction device is placed near the user's ear (e.g., when the useris making a phone call).

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more tactile outputgenerators 167. FIG. 1A shows a tactile output generator coupled tohaptic feedback controller 161 in I/O subsystem 106. Tactile outputgenerator 167 optionally includes one or more electroacoustic devicessuch as speakers or other audio components and/or electromechanicaldevices that convert energy into linear motion, such as a motor,solenoid, electroactive polymer, piezoelectric actuator, electrostaticactuator, or other tactile output generating component (e.g., acomponent that converts electrical signals into tactile outputs on thedevice). Contact intensity sensor 165 receives tactile feedbackgeneration instructions from haptic feedback module 133 and generatestactile outputs on device 100 that are capable of being sensed by a userof device 100. In some embodiments, at least one tactile outputgenerator is collocated with, or proximate to, a touch-sensitive surface(e.g., touch-sensitive display system 112) and, optionally, generates atactile output by moving the touch-sensitive surface vertically (e.g.,in/out of a surface of device 100) or laterally (e.g., back and forth inthe same plane as a surface of device 100). In some embodiments, atleast one tactile output generator sensor is located on the back ofdevice 100, opposite touch screen display 112, which is located on thefront of device 100.

Device 100 optionally also includes one or more accelerometers 168.FIGS. 1A and 1B show accelerometer 168 coupled to peripherals interface118. Alternately, accelerometer 168 is, optionally, coupled to an inputcontroller 160 in I/O subsystem 106. Accelerometer 168 optionallyperforms as described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050190059,“Acceleration-based Theft Detection System for Portable ElectronicDevices,” and U.S. Patent Publication No. 20060017692, “Methods AndApparatuses For Operating A Portable Device Based On An Accelerometer,”both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. Insome embodiments, information is displayed on the touch screen displayin a portrait view or a landscape view based on an analysis of datareceived from the one or more accelerometers. Device 100 optionallyincludes, in addition to accelerometer(s) 168, a magnetometer (notshown) and a GPS (or GLONASS or other global navigation system) receiver(not shown) for obtaining information concerning the location andorientation (e.g., portrait or landscape) of device 100.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102include operating system 126, communication module (or set ofinstructions) 128, contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130,graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, text input module (or setof instructions) 134, Global Positioning System (GPS) module (or set ofinstructions) 135, and applications (or sets of instructions) 136.Furthermore, in some embodiments, memory 102 (FIG. 1A) or 370 (FIG. 3)stores device/global internal state 157, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3.Device/global internal state 157 includes one or more of: activeapplication state, indicating which applications, if any, are currentlyactive; display state, indicating what applications, views or otherinformation occupy various regions of touch screen display 112; sensorstate, including information obtained from the device's various sensorsand input control devices 116; and location information concerning thedevice's location and/or attitude.

Operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X, iOS,WINDOWS, or an embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includesvarious software components and/or drivers for controlling and managinggeneral system tasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control,power management, etc.) and facilitates communication between varioushardware and software components.

Communication module 128 facilitates communication with other devicesover one or more external ports 124 and also includes various softwarecomponents for handling data received by RF circuitry 108 and/orexternal port 124. External port 124 (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB),FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly to other devices orindirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). Insome embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g., 8-pin, 30-pin)connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatible with, the30-pin connector used on iPod® (trademark of Apple Inc.) devices.

Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects contact with touch screen112 (in conjunction with display controller 156) and othertouch-sensitive devices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel).Contact/motion module 130 includes various software components forperforming various operations related to detection of contact, such asdetermining if contact has occurred (e.g., detecting a finger-downevent), determining an intensity of the contact (e.g., the force orpressure of the contact or a substitute for the force or pressure of thecontact), determining if there is movement of the contact and trackingthe movement across the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., detecting one ormore finger-dragging events), and determining if the contact has ceased(e.g., detecting a finger-up event or a break in contact).Contact/motion module 130 receives contact data from the touch-sensitivesurface. Determining movement of the point of contact, which isrepresented by a series of contact data, optionally includes determiningspeed (magnitude), velocity (magnitude and direction), and/or anacceleration (a change in magnitude and/or direction) of the point ofcontact. These operations are, optionally, applied to single contacts(e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiple simultaneous contacts (e.g.,“multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). In some embodiments,contact/motion module 130 and display controller 156 detect contact on atouchpad.

In some embodiments, contact/motion module 130 uses a set of one or moreintensity thresholds to determine whether an operation has beenperformed by a user (e.g., to determine whether a user has “clicked” onan icon). In some embodiments, at least a subset of the intensitythresholds are determined in accordance with software parameters (e.g.,the intensity thresholds are not determined by the activation thresholdsof particular physical actuators and can be adjusted without changingthe physical hardware of device 100). For example, a mouse “click”threshold of a trackpad or touch screen display can be set to any of alarge range of predefined threshold values without changing the trackpador touch screen display hardware. Additionally, in some implementations,a user of the device is provided with software settings for adjustingone or more of the set of intensity thresholds (e.g., by adjustingindividual intensity thresholds and/or by adjusting a plurality ofintensity thresholds at once with a system-level click “intensity”parameter).

Contact/motion module 130 optionally detects a gesture input by a user.Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have different contactpatterns (e.g., different motions, timings, and/or intensities ofdetected contacts). Thus, a gesture is, optionally, detected bydetecting a particular contact pattern. For example, detecting a fingertap gesture includes detecting a finger-down event followed by detectinga finger-up (liftoff) event at the same position (or substantially thesame position) as the finger-down event (e.g., at the position of anicon). As another example, detecting a finger swipe gesture on thetouch-sensitive surface includes detecting a finger-down event followedby detecting one or more finger-dragging events, and subsequentlyfollowed by detecting a finger-up (liftoff) event.

Graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on touch screen 112 or other display,including components for changing the visual impact (e.g., brightness,transparency, saturation, contrast or other visual property) of graphicsthat are displayed. As used herein, the term “graphics” includes anyobject that can be displayed to a user, including, without limitationtext, web pages, icons (such as user-interface objects including softkeys), digital images, videos, animations, and the like.

In some embodiments, graphics module 132 stores data representinggraphics to be used. Each graphic is, optionally, assigned acorresponding code. Graphics module 132 receives, from applicationsetc., one or more codes specifying graphics to be displayed along with,if necessary, coordinate data and other graphic property data, and thengenerates screen image data to output to display controller 156.

Haptic feedback module 133 includes various software components forgenerating instructions used by tactile output generator(s) 167 toproduce tactile outputs at one or more locations on device 100 inresponse to user interactions with device 100.

Text input module 134, which is, optionally, a component of graphicsmodule 132, provides soft keyboards for entering text in variousapplications (e.g., contacts 137, e-mail 140, IM 141, browser 147, andany other application that needs text input).

GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and provides thisinformation for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138 foruse in location-based dialing; to camera 143 as picture/video metadata;and to applications that provide location-based services such as weatherwidgets, local yellow page widgets, and map/navigation widgets).

Applications 136 optionally include the following modules (or sets ofinstructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or contact        list);    -   Telephone module 138;    -   Video conference module 139;    -   E-mail client module 140;    -   Instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   Workout support module 142;    -   Camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   Image management module 144;    -   Video player module;    -   Music player module;    -   Browser module 147;    -   Calendar module 148;    -   Widget modules 149, which optionally include one or more of:        weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget        149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and        other widgets obtained by the user, as well as user-created        widgets 149-6;    -   Widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;    -   Search module 151;    -   Video and music player module 152, which merges video player        module and music player module;    -   Notes module 153;    -   Map module 154; and/or    -   Online video module 155.

Examples of other applications 136 that are, optionally, stored inmemory 102 include other word processing applications, other imageediting applications, drawing applications, presentation applications,JAVA-enabled applications, encryption, digital rights management, voicerecognition, and voice replication.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module134, contacts module 137 are, optionally, used to manage an address bookor contact list (e.g., stored in application internal state 192 ofcontacts module 137 in memory 102 or memory 370), including: addingname(s) to the address book; deleting name(s) from the address book;associating telephone number(s), e-mail address(es), physicaladdress(es) or other information with a name; associating an image witha name; categorizing and sorting names; providing telephone numbers ore-mail addresses to initiate and/or facilitate communications bytelephone 138, video conference module 139, e-mail 140, or IM 141; andso forth.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, contact/motionmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, telephonemodule 138 are, optionally, used to enter a sequence of characterscorresponding to a telephone number, access one or more telephonenumbers in contacts module 137, modify a telephone number that has beenentered, dial a respective telephone number, conduct a conversation, anddisconnect or hang up when the conversation is completed. As notedabove, the wireless communication optionally uses any of a plurality ofcommunications standards, protocols, and technologies.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, optical sensor164, optical sensor controller 158, contact/motion module 130, graphicsmodule 132, text input module 134, contacts module 137, and telephonemodule 138, video conference module 139 includes executable instructionsto initiate, conduct, and terminate a video conference between a userand one or more other participants in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and textinput module 134, e-mail client module 140 includes executableinstructions to create, send, receive, and manage e-mail in response touser instructions. In conjunction with image management module 144,e-mail client module 140 makes it very easy to create and send e-mailswith still or video images taken with camera module 143.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and textinput module 134, the instant messaging module 141 includes executableinstructions to enter a sequence of characters corresponding to aninstant message, to modify previously entered characters, to transmit arespective instant message (for example, using a Short Message Service(SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) protocol for telephony-basedinstant messages or using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-basedinstant messages), to receive instant messages, and to view receivedinstant messages. In some embodiments, transmitted and/or receivedinstant messages optionally include graphics, photos, audio files, videofiles and/or other attachments as are supported in an MMS and/or anEnhanced Messaging Service (EMS). As used herein, “instant messaging”refers to both telephony-based messages (e.g., messages sent using SMSor MMS) and Internet-based messages (e.g., messages sent using XMPP,SIMPLE, or IMPS).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, textinput module 134, GPS module 135, map module 154, and music playermodule, workout support module 142 includes executable instructions tocreate workouts (e.g., with time, distance, and/or calorie burninggoals); communicate with workout sensors (sports devices); receiveworkout sensor data; calibrate sensors used to monitor a workout; selectand play music for a workout; and display, store, and transmit workoutdata.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact/motion module 130,graphics module 132, and image management module 144, camera module 143includes executable instructions to capture still images or video(including a video stream) and store them into memory 102, modifycharacteristics of a still image or video, or delete a still image orvideo from memory 102.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134,and camera module 143, image management module 144 includes executableinstructions to arrange, modify (e.g., edit), or otherwise manipulate,label, delete, present (e.g., in a digital slide show or album), andstore still and/or video images.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and textinput module 134, browser module 147 includes executable instructions tobrowse the Internet in accordance with user instructions, includingsearching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages or portionsthereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to web pages.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, textinput module 134, e-mail client module 140, and browser module 147,calendar module 148 includes executable instructions to create, display,modify, and store calendars and data associated with calendars (e.g.,calendar entries, to-do lists, etc.) in accordance with userinstructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, textinput module 134, and browser module 147, widget modules 149 aremini-applications that are, optionally, downloaded and used by a user(e.g., weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget149-3, alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary widget 149-5) or createdby the user (e.g., user-created widget 149-6). In some embodiments, awidget includes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file, a CSS(Cascading Style Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file. In someembodiments, a widget includes an XML (Extensible Markup Language) fileand a JavaScript file (e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, textinput module 134, and browser module 147, the widget creator module 150are, optionally, used by a user to create widgets (e.g., turning auser-specified portion of a web page into a widget).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module134, search module 151 includes executable instructions to search fortext, music, sound, image, video, and/or other files in memory 102 thatmatch one or more search criteria (e.g., one or more user-specifiedsearch terms) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110,speaker 111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module 147, video and musicplayer module 152 includes executable instructions that allow the userto download and play back recorded music and other sound files stored inone or more file formats, such as MP3 or AAC files, and executableinstructions to display, present, or otherwise play back videos (e.g.,on touch screen 112 or on an external, connected display via externalport 124). In some embodiments, device 100 optionally includes thefunctionality of an MP3 player, such as an iPod (trademark of AppleInc.).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module134, notes module 153 includes executable instructions to create andmanage notes, to-do lists, and the like in accordance with userinstructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, textinput module 134, GPS module 135, and browser module 147, map module 154are, optionally, used to receive, display, modify, and store maps anddata associated with maps (e.g., driving directions, data on stores andother points of interest at or near a particular location, and otherlocation-based data) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156,contact/motion module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110,speaker 111, RF circuitry 108, text input module 134, e-mail clientmodule 140, and browser module 147, online video module 155 includesinstructions that allow the user to access, browse, receive (e.g., bystreaming and/or download), play back (e.g., on the touch screen or onan external, connected display via external port 124), send an e-mailwith a link to a particular online video, and otherwise manage onlinevideos in one or more file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments,instant messaging module 141, rather than e-mail client module 140, isused to send a link to a particular online video. Additional descriptionof the online video application can be found in U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/936,562, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, andGraphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos,” filed Jun. 20,2007, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,067, “PortableMultifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for PlayingOnline Videos,” filed Dec. 31, 2007, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entirety.

Each of the above-identified modules and applications corresponds to aset of executable instructions for performing one or more functionsdescribed above and the methods described in this application (e.g., thecomputer-implemented methods and other information processing methodsdescribed herein). These modules (e.g., sets of instructions) need notbe implemented as separate software programs, procedures, or modules,and thus various subsets of these modules are, optionally, combined orotherwise rearranged in various embodiments. For example, video playermodule is, optionally, combined with music player module into a singlemodule (e.g., video and music player module 152, FIG. 1A). In someembodiments, memory 102 optionally stores a subset of the modules anddata structures identified above. Furthermore, memory 102 optionallystores additional modules and data structures not described above.

In some embodiments, device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad. By using a touch screen and/ora touchpad as the primary input control device for operation of device100, the number of physical input control devices (such as push buttons,dials, and the like) on device 100 is, optionally, reduced.

The predefined set of functions that are performed exclusively through atouch screen and/or a touchpad optionally include navigation betweenuser interfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by theuser, navigates device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from any userinterface that is displayed on device 100. In such embodiments, a “menubutton” is implemented using a touchpad. In some other embodiments, themenu button is a physical push button or other physical input controldevice instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for eventhandling in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments,memory 102 (FIG. 1A) or 370 (FIG. 3) includes event sorter 170 (e.g., inoperating system 126) and a respective application 136-1 (e.g., any ofthe aforementioned applications 137-151, 155, 380-390).

Event sorter 170 receives event information and determines theapplication 136-1 and application view 191 of application 136-1 to whichto deliver the event information. Event sorter 170 includes eventmonitor 171 and event dispatcher module 174. In some embodiments,application 136-1 includes application internal state 192, whichindicates the current application view(s) displayed on touch-sensitivedisplay 112 when the application is active or executing. In someembodiments, device/global internal state 157 is used by event sorter170 to determine which application(s) is (are) currently active, andapplication internal state 192 is used by event sorter 170 to determineapplication views 191 to which to deliver event information.

In some embodiments, application internal state 192 includes additionalinformation, such as one or more of: resume information to be used whenapplication 136-1 resumes execution, user interface state informationthat indicates information being displayed or that is ready for displayby application 136-1, a state queue for enabling the user to go back toa prior state or view of application 136-1, and a redo/undo queue ofprevious actions taken by the user.

Event monitor 171 receives event information from peripherals interface118. Event information includes information about a sub-event (e.g., auser touch on touch-sensitive display 112, as part of a multi-touchgesture). Peripherals interface 118 transmits information it receivesfrom I/O subsystem 106 or a sensor, such as proximity sensor 166,accelerometer(s) 168, and/or microphone 113 (through audio circuitry110). Information that peripherals interface 118 receives from I/Osubsystem 106 includes information from touch-sensitive display 112 or atouch-sensitive surface.

In some embodiments, event monitor 171 sends requests to the peripheralsinterface 118 at predetermined intervals. In response, peripheralsinterface 118 transmits event information. In other embodiments,peripherals interface 118 transmits event information only when there isa significant event (e.g., receiving an input above a predeterminednoise threshold and/or for more than a predetermined duration).

In some embodiments, event sorter 170 also includes a hit viewdetermination module 172 and/or an active event recognizer determinationmodule 173.

Hit view determination module 172 provides software procedures fordetermining where a sub-event has taken place within one or more viewswhen touch-sensitive display 112 displays more than one view. Views aremade up of controls and other elements that a user can see on thedisplay.

Another aspect of the user interface associated with an application is aset of views, sometimes herein called application views or userinterface windows, in which information is displayed and touch-basedgestures occur. The application views (of a respective application) inwhich a touch is detected optionally correspond to programmatic levelswithin a programmatic or view hierarchy of the application. For example,the lowest level view in which a touch is detected is, optionally,called the hit view, and the set of events that are recognized as properinputs are, optionally, determined based, at least in part, on the hitview of the initial touch that begins a touch-based gesture.

Hit view determination module 172 receives information related tosub-events of a touch-based gesture. When an application has multipleviews organized in a hierarchy, hit view determination module 172identifies a hit view as the lowest view in the hierarchy which shouldhandle the sub-event. In most circumstances, the hit view is the lowestlevel view in which an initiating sub-event occurs (e.g., the firstsub-event in the sequence of sub-events that form an event or potentialevent). Once the hit view is identified by the hit view determinationmodule 172, the hit view typically receives all sub-events related tothe same touch or input source for which it was identified as the hitview.

Active event recognizer determination module 173 determines which viewor views within a view hierarchy should receive a particular sequence ofsub-events. In some embodiments, active event recognizer determinationmodule 173 determines that only the hit view should receive a particularsequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, active event recognizerdetermination module 173 determines that all views that include thephysical location of a sub-event are actively involved views, andtherefore determines that all actively involved views should receive aparticular sequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, even if touchsub-events were entirely confined to the area associated with oneparticular view, views higher in the hierarchy would still remain asactively involved views.

Event dispatcher module 174 dispatches the event information to an eventrecognizer (e.g., event recognizer 180). In embodiments including activeevent recognizer determination module 173, event dispatcher module 174delivers the event information to an event recognizer determined byactive event recognizer determination module 173. In some embodiments,event dispatcher module 174 stores in an event queue the eventinformation, which is retrieved by a respective event receiver 182.

In some embodiments, operating system 126 includes event sorter 170.Alternatively, application 136-1 includes event sorter 170. In yet otherembodiments, event sorter 170 is a stand-alone module, or a part ofanother module stored in memory 102, such as contact/motion module 130.

In some embodiments, application 136-1 includes a plurality of eventhandlers 190 and one or more application views 191, each of whichincludes instructions for handling touch events that occur within arespective view of the application's user interface. Each applicationview 191 of the application 136-1 includes one or more event recognizers180. Typically, a respective application view 191 includes a pluralityof event recognizers 180. In other embodiments, one or more of eventrecognizers 180 are part of a separate module, such as a user interfacekit (not shown) or a higher level object from which application 136-1inherits methods and other properties. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent handler 190 includes one or more of: data updater 176, objectupdater 177, GUI updater 178, and/or event data 179 received from eventsorter 170. Event handler 190 optionally utilizes or calls data updater176, object updater 177, or GUI updater 178 to update the applicationinternal state 192. Alternatively, one or more of the application views191 include one or more respective event handlers 190. Also, in someembodiments, one or more of data updater 176, object updater 177, andGUI updater 178 are included in a respective application view 191.

A respective event recognizer 180 receives event information (e.g.,event data 179) from event sorter 170 and identifies an event from theevent information. Event recognizer 180 includes event receiver 182 andevent comparator 184. In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 alsoincludes at least a subset of: metadata 183, and event deliveryinstructions 188 (which optionally include sub-event deliveryinstructions).

Event receiver 182 receives event information from event sorter 170. Theevent information includes information about a sub-event, for example, atouch or a touch movement. Depending on the sub-event, the eventinformation also includes additional information, such as location ofthe sub-event. When the sub-event concerns motion of a touch, the eventinformation optionally also includes speed and direction of thesub-event. In some embodiments, events include rotation of the devicefrom one orientation to another (e.g., from a portrait orientation to alandscape orientation, or vice versa), and the event informationincludes corresponding information about the current orientation (alsocalled device attitude) of the device.

Event comparator 184 compares the event information to predefined eventor sub-event definitions and, based on the comparison, determines anevent or sub-event, or determines or updates the state of an event orsub-event. In some embodiments, event comparator 184 includes eventdefinitions 186. Event definitions 186 contain definitions of events(e.g., predefined sequences of sub-events), for example, event 1(187-1), event 2 (187-2), and others. In some embodiments, sub-events inan event (187) include, for example, touch begin, touch end, touchmovement, touch cancellation, and multiple touching. In one example, thedefinition for event 1 (187-1) is a double tap on a displayed object.The double tap, for example, comprises a first touch (touch begin) onthe displayed object for a predetermined phase, a first liftoff (touchend) for a predetermined phase, a second touch (touch begin) on thedisplayed object for a predetermined phase, and a second liftoff (touchend) for a predetermined phase. In another example, the definition forevent 2 (187-2) is a dragging on a displayed object. The dragging, forexample, comprises a touch (or contact) on the displayed object for apredetermined phase, a movement of the touch across touch-sensitivedisplay 112, and liftoff of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments,the event also includes information for one or more associated eventhandlers 190.

In some embodiments, event definition 187 includes a definition of anevent for a respective user-interface object. In some embodiments, eventcomparator 184 performs a hit test to determine which user-interfaceobject is associated with a sub-event. For example, in an applicationview in which three user-interface objects are displayed ontouch-sensitive display 112, when a touch is detected on touch-sensitivedisplay 112, event comparator 184 performs a hit test to determine whichof the three user-interface objects is associated with the touch(sub-event). If each displayed object is associated with a respectiveevent handler 190, the event comparator uses the result of the hit testto determine which event handler 190 should be activated. For example,event comparator 184 selects an event handler associated with thesub-event and the object triggering the hit test.

In some embodiments, the definition for a respective event (187) alsoincludes delayed actions that delay delivery of the event informationuntil after it has been determined whether the sequence of sub-eventsdoes or does not correspond to the event recognizer's event type.

When a respective event recognizer 180 determines that the series ofsub-events do not match any of the events in event definitions 186, therespective event recognizer 180 enters an event impossible, eventfailed, or event ended state, after which it disregards subsequentsub-events of the touch-based gesture. In this situation, other eventrecognizers, if any, that remain active for the hit view continue totrack and process sub-events of an ongoing touch-based gesture.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 includes metadata183 with configurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate howthe event delivery system should perform sub-event delivery to activelyinvolved event recognizers. In some embodiments, metadata 183 includesconfigurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate how eventrecognizers interact, or are enabled to interact, with one another. Insome embodiments, metadata 183 includes configurable properties, flags,and/or lists that indicate whether sub-events are delivered to varyinglevels in the view or programmatic hierarchy.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 activates eventhandler 190 associated with an event when one or more particularsub-events of an event are recognized. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent recognizer 180 delivers event information associated with theevent to event handler 190. Activating an event handler 190 is distinctfrom sending (and deferred sending) sub-events to a respective hit view.In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 throws a flag associated withthe recognized event, and event handler 190 associated with the flagcatches the flag and performs a predefined process.

In some embodiments, event delivery instructions 188 include sub-eventdelivery instructions that deliver event information about a sub-eventwithout activating an event handler. Instead, the sub-event deliveryinstructions deliver event information to event handlers associated withthe series of sub-events or to actively involved views. Event handlersassociated with the series of sub-events or with actively involved viewsreceive the event information and perform a predetermined process.

In some embodiments, data updater 176 creates and updates data used inapplication 136-1. For example, data updater 176 updates the telephonenumber used in contacts module 137, or stores a video file used in videoplayer module. In some embodiments, object updater 177 creates andupdates objects used in application 136-1. For example, object updater177 creates a new user-interface object or updates the position of auser-interface object. GUI updater 178 updates the GUI. For example, GUIupdater 178 prepares display information and sends it to graphics module132 for display on a touch-sensitive display.

In some embodiments, event handler(s) 190 includes or has access to dataupdater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178. In someembodiments, data updater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178are included in a single module of a respective application 136-1 orapplication view 191. In other embodiments, they are included in two ormore software modules.

It shall be understood that the foregoing discussion regarding eventhandling of user touches on touch-sensitive displays also applies toother forms of user inputs to operate multifunction devices 100 withinput devices, not all of which are initiated on touch screens. Forexample, mouse movement and mouse button presses, optionally coordinatedwith single or multiple keyboard presses or holds; contact movementssuch as taps, drags, scrolls, etc. on touchpads; pen stylus inputs;movement of the device; oral instructions; detected eye movements;biometric inputs; and/or any combination thereof are optionally utilizedas inputs corresponding to sub-events which define an event to berecognized.

FIG. 2A illustrates a portable multifunction device 100 having a touchscreen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch screenoptionally displays one or more graphics within user interface (UI) 200.In this embodiment, as well as others described below, a user is enabledto select one or more of the graphics by making a gesture on thegraphics, for example, with one or more fingers 202 (not drawn to scalein the figure) or one or more styluses 203 (not drawn to scale in thefigure). In some embodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurswhen the user breaks contact with the one or more graphics. In someembodiments, the gesture optionally includes one or more taps, one ormore swipes (from left to right, right to left, upward and/or downward),and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, left to right, upwardand/or downward) that has made contact with device 100. In someimplementations or circumstances, inadvertent contact with a graphicdoes not select the graphic. For example, a swipe gesture that sweepsover an application icon optionally does not select the correspondingapplication when the gesture corresponding to selection is a tap.

Device 100 optionally also include one or more physical buttons, such as“home” or menu button 204. As described previously, menu button 204 is,optionally, used to navigate to any application 136 in a set ofapplications that are, optionally, executed on device 100.Alternatively, in some embodiments, the menu button is implemented as asoft key in a GUI displayed on touch screen 112.

In some embodiments, device 100 includes touch screen 112, menu button204, push button 206 for powering the device on/off and locking thedevice, volume adjustment button(s) 208, subscriber identity module(SIM) card slot 210, headset jack 212, and docking/charging externalport 124. Push button 206 is, optionally, used to turn the power on/offon the device by depressing the button and holding the button in thedepressed state for a predefined time interval; to lock the device bydepressing the button and releasing the button before the predefinedtime interval has elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate anunlock process. In an alternative embodiment, device 100 also acceptsverbal input for activation or deactivation of some functions throughmicrophone 113. Device 100 also, optionally, includes one or morecontact intensity sensors 165 for detecting intensity of contacts ontouch screen 112 and/or one or more tactile output generators 167 forgenerating tactile outputs for a user of device 100.

FIG. 2B illustrates the side of portable multifunction device 100opposite touch screen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. As can beseen, device 100 includes cameras 214 and 216. Camera 214 is awider-angle camera and camera 216 is a higher-magnification camera insome embodiments. While the cameras in FIG. 2B are shown on a side ofportable multifunction device 100 that is opposite touch screen 112, itshould be understood that in principle, the cameras could be positionedon any side of the device (e.g., a same side as touch screen 112), or anedge of device 100.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with someembodiments. Device 300 need not be portable. In some embodiments,device 300 is a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer,a multimedia player device, a navigation device, an educational device(such as a child's learning toy), a gaming system, or a control device(e.g., a home or industrial controller). Device 300 typically includesone or more processing units (CPUs) 310, one or more network or othercommunications interfaces 360, memory 370, and one or more communicationbuses 320 for interconnecting these components. Communication buses 320optionally include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) thatinterconnects and controls communications between system components.Device 300 includes input/output (I/O) interface 330 comprising display340, which is typically a touch screen display. I/O interface 330 alsooptionally includes a keyboard and/or mouse (or other pointing device)350 and touchpad 355, tactile output generator 357 for generatingtactile outputs on device 300 (e.g., similar to tactile outputgenerator(s) 167 described above with reference to FIG. 1A), sensors 359(e.g., optical, acceleration, proximity, touch-sensitive, and/or contactintensity sensors similar to contact intensity sensor(s) 165 describedabove with reference to FIG. 1A). Memory 370 includes high-speed randomaccess memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access solidstate memory devices; and optionally includes non-volatile memory, suchas one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storagedevices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storagedevices. Memory 370 optionally includes one or more storage devicesremotely located from CPU(s) 310. In some embodiments, memory 370 storesprograms, modules, and data structures analogous to the programs,modules, and data structures stored in memory 102 of portablemultifunction device 100 (FIG. 1A), or a subset thereof. Furthermore,memory 370 optionally stores additional programs, modules, and datastructures not present in memory 102 of portable multifunction device100. For example, memory 370 of device 300 optionally stores drawingmodule 380, presentation module 382, word processing module 384, websitecreation module 386, disk authoring module 388, and/or spreadsheetmodule 390, while memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG.1A) optionally does not store these modules.

Each of the above-identified elements in FIG. 3 is, optionally, storedin one or more of the previously mentioned memory devices. Each of theabove-identified modules corresponds to a set of instructions forperforming a function described above. The above-identified modules orprograms (e.g., sets of instructions) need not be implemented asseparate software programs, procedures, or modules, and thus varioussubsets of these modules are, optionally, combined or otherwiserearranged in various embodiments. In some embodiments, memory 370optionally stores a subset of the modules and data structures identifiedabove. Furthermore, memory 370 optionally stores additional modules anddata structures not described above.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces thatare, optionally, implemented on, for example, portable multifunctiondevice 100.

FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user interface for a menu ofapplications on portable multifunction device 100 in accordance withsome embodiments. Similar user interfaces are, optionally, implementedon device 300. In some embodiments, user interface 400 includes thefollowing elements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless communication(s),        such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals;    -   Time 404;    -   Bluetooth indicator 405;    -   Battery status indicator 406;    -   Tray 408 with icons for frequently used applications, such as:        -   Icon 416 for telephone module 138, labeled “Phone,” which            optionally includes an indicator 414 of the number of missed            calls or voicemail messages;        -   Icon 418 for e-mail client module 140, labeled “Mail,” which            optionally includes an indicator 410 of the number of unread            e-mails;        -   Icon 420 for browser module 147, labeled “Browser;” and        -   Icon 422 for video and music player module 152, also            referred to as iPod (trademark of Apple Inc.) module 152,            labeled “iPod;” and    -   Icons for other applications, such as:        -   Icon 424 for IM module 141, labeled “Messages;”        -   Icon 426 for calendar module 148, labeled “Calendar;”        -   Icon 428 for image management module 144, labeled “Photos;”        -   Icon 430 for camera module 143, labeled “Camera;”        -   Icon 432 for online video module 155, labeled “Online            Video;”        -   Icon 434 for stocks widget 149-2, labeled “Stocks;”        -   Icon 436 for map module 154, labeled “Maps;”        -   Icon 438 for weather widget 149-1, labeled “Weather;”        -   Icon 440 for alarm clock widget 149-4, labeled “Clock;”        -   Icon 442 for workout support module 142, labeled “Workout            Support;”        -   Icon 444 for notes module 153, labeled “Notes;” and        -   Icon 446 for a settings application or module, labeled            “Settings,” which provides access to settings for device 100            and its various applications 136.

It should be noted that the icon labels illustrated in FIG. 4A aremerely exemplary. For example, icon 422 for video and music playermodule 152 are labeled “Music” or “Music Player.” Other labels are,optionally, used for various application icons. In some embodiments, alabel for a respective application icon includes a name of anapplication corresponding to the respective application icon. In someembodiments, a label for a particular application icon is distinct froma name of an application corresponding to the particular applicationicon.

FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary user interface on a device (e.g.,device 300, FIG. 3) with a touch-sensitive surface 451 (e.g., a tabletor touchpad 355, FIG. 3) that is separate from the display 450 (e.g.,touch screen display 112). Device 300 also, optionally, includes one ormore contact intensity sensors (e.g., one or more of sensors 359) fordetecting intensity of contacts on touch-sensitive surface 451 and/orone or more tactile output generators 357 for generating tactile outputsfor a user of device 300.

Although some of the examples that follow will be given with referenceto inputs on touch screen display 112 (where the touch-sensitive surfaceand the display are combined), in some embodiments, the device detectsinputs on a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the display,as shown in FIG. 4B. In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive surface(e.g., 451 in FIG. 4B) has a primary axis (e.g., 452 in FIG. 4B) thatcorresponds to a primary axis (e.g., 453 in FIG. 4B) on the display(e.g., 450). In accordance with these embodiments, the device detectscontacts (e.g., 460 and 462 in FIG. 4B) with the touch-sensitive surface451 at locations that correspond to respective locations on the display(e.g., in FIG. 4B, 460 corresponds to 468 and 462 corresponds to 470).In this way, user inputs (e.g., contacts 460 and 462, and movementsthereof) detected by the device on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g.,451 in FIG. 4B) are used by the device to manipulate the user interfaceon the display (e.g., 450 in FIG. 4B) of the multifunction device whenthe touch-sensitive surface is separate from the display. It should beunderstood that similar methods are, optionally, used for other userinterfaces described herein.

Additionally, while the following examples are given primarily withreference to finger inputs (e.g., finger contacts, finger tap gestures,finger swipe gestures), it should be understood that, in someembodiments, one or more of the finger inputs are replaced with inputfrom another input device (e.g., a mouse-based input or stylus input).For example, a swipe gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouse click(e.g., instead of a contact) followed by movement of the cursor alongthe path of the swipe (e.g., instead of movement of the contact). Asanother example, a tap gesture is, optionally, replaced with a mouseclick while the cursor is located over the location of the tap gesture(e.g., instead of detection of the contact followed by ceasing to detectthe contact). Similarly, when multiple user inputs are simultaneouslydetected, it should be understood that multiple computer mice are,optionally, used simultaneously, or a mouse and finger contacts are,optionally, used simultaneously.

As used here, the term “affordance” refers to a user-interactivegraphical user interface object that is, optionally, displayed on thedisplay screen of device such as device 100 or 300 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Forexample, an image (e.g., icon), a button, and text (e.g., hyperlink) mayeach constitute an affordance.

1. Dual-Camera Zoom Capabilities

Attention is now directed to devices and user interfaces that enablezooming of a digital viewfinder using content received from multiplecameras, with reference to FIGS. 5A-5T. FIG. 5A depicts exemplary device500, which is device 100 or 300 (FIGS. 1 and 3) in some embodiments.Device 500 has two cameras 502-a and 502-b located on a surface oppositedisplay 504. Cameras 502-a and 502-b are positioned such that they facethe same direction and have overlapping fields of view. Cameras 502-aand 502-b have fixed, but different, focal lengths in the exemplarydevice 500, meaning that the cameras do not provide variable opticalzooming capabilities, natively (e.g., zooming accomplished by themovement of one or more optical elements relative to each other so as tochange the focusing of incoming light on the camera sensor behind theone or more optical elements). In some examples, the focal length ofcamera 502-b is twice as long as the focal length of camera 502-a,resulting in camera 502-a having a wider field of view but lower opticalmagnification, and camera 502-b having a narrow field of view but higheroptical magnification. Camera 502-a is also referred to as a“wider-angle camera,” while camera 502-b is referred to as a“higher-magnification camera.”

Display 504 is touch screen 112 (FIG. 1A) or display 340 (FIG. 3A) insome embodiments. Display 504 shows camera user interface 506 providedby a camera application of the device. Digital user interface 506 hasdigital viewfinder 508 for displaying visual content received from oneor more of wider-angle camera 502-a and/or higher-magnification camera502-b. Viewfinder 508 updates dynamically, meaning that its contentchanges as objects within the field of view of the viewfinder move withrespect to device 500.

In some embodiments, viewfinder 508 displays content from wider-anglecamera 502-a or higher-magnification camera 502-b depending on theviewfinder's zoom setting: when the zoom setting of viewfinder 508 isless than a threshold zoom value, viewfinder 508 displays content fromone camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a) of device 500. When the zoomsetting of viewfinder 508 exceeds the threshold zoom value, digitalviewfinder 508 displays content from the other camera of device 500(e.g., higher-magnification camera 502-b). Because higher-magnificationcamera 502-b enjoys a greater amount of optical magnification natively,switching from camera 502-a to camera 502-b has the effect of magnifying(e.g., zooming) viewfinder content using the native optical propertiesof camera 502-b.

In addition to switching between the display of content from differentcameras in response to whether a zoom setting exceeds a threshold zoomvalue, viewfinder 508 provides digital zooming of content, meaning that,for example, while viewfinder 508 is displaying content from wider-anglecamera 502-a, viewfinder 508 can perform digital magnification on thecontent, responsive to changes in zoom setting, proportionately.

Notably, by using fixed camera 502-a to capture wider-angle (butlower-magnification) content and using fixed camera 502-b to capturehigher-magnification (but narrower) content, device 500 provides thebenefit of higher-quality, optical zooming with the thinner packagingadvantages of cameras with fixed focal-length lenses (e.g., “fixed focallength cameras”). As used here, the term “capturing” visual content froma camera refers to using the light that enters the camera to obtain,with an optical sensor(s) (e.g., 164), visual information that can bedisplayed on a display screen such as display 504.

Camera user interface 506 has affordance 516 for storing visual contentinto visual media such as an image file or video file. As used here,“storing” captured visual content refers to saving the content into along-term memory storage, such as by creating an image or video filehaving data representing the captured content in a non-volatile memoryarea of device 500. In the depicted example, when the zoom setting ofviewfinder 508 is less than a threshold zoom value, responsive toactivation of affordance 516, device 500 stores content from wider-anglecamera 502-a into an image file, consistent with the composition shownin viewfinder 508. When the zoom setting of viewfinder 508 exceeds thethreshold zoom value, the device stores visual content fromhigher-magnification camera 502-b as an image file instead. Thus, device500 stores visual content from a wider-angle camera when the userdesires a wider-angled composition, and stores content from ahigher-magnification camera when the user desires emphasis of an objectof interest, such as house 520.

Also, viewfinder 508 has zoom setting slider bar 510 and current zoomsetting indicator 512. The term “zoom setting” refers to a valuereflective of the overall magnification that is applied to viewfindercontent. This overall magnification can account for optical and/ordigital magnification. “Optical magnification” refers to themagnification arising from the physical properties of a camera (e.g.,CCD and lens(es)) and is sometimes referred to as base magnification. Acamera of fixed focal length design provides a fixed opticalmagnification, if any. A camera of variable focal length design canprovide variable optical magnification. In contrast, “digitalmagnification” refers to digital enlargement of content received from acamera that may (but need not) have already experienced opticalmagnification.

The length of slider bar 510 represents the range over which digitalviewfinder 508 can be zoomed (through digital and/or opticalmagnification). The position of current zoom setting indicator 512indicates the current level of zoom. In the illustrated example, whenindictor 512 is located at the left end of slider bar 510, digitalviewfinder 508 displays content from wider-angle camera 502-a at itsnative level of optical magnification, without digital magnification.When indicator 512 is located at the right end of slider bar 510,viewfinder 508 displays content from higher-magnification camera 502-bat a maximum level of digital magnification. In-between, viewfinder 508displays content from one of cameras 502 with an amount of digitalmagnification (corresponding to the position of indicator 512) inaddition to the native optical magnification of the camera being used.

Slider bar 510 includes optional threshold zoom setting indicator 514representing the value of zoom at which viewfinder 508 switches betweenthe use of content from wider-angle camera 502-a to higher-magnificationcamera 502-b. As used here, the term “source camera” refers to thecamera that is providing the content being displayed in a digitalviewfinder such as viewfinder 508. Viewfinder 508 includes optionalsource camera indicator 518, which displays a value indicative of thesource camera. Source camera indicator 518 in FIG. 5A shows the verbiage“1×” to indicate that a lower-magnification, for example, wider-anglecamera 502-a, is currently providing content to the viewfinder. Sourcecamera indicator 518 can show alternative verbiage (e.g., “2×”) when ahigher-magnification camera, for example, camera 502-b, is providingcontent to the viewfinder.

Turning to FIG. 5B, when device 500 detects movement of current zoomsetting indicator 512 from its position in FIG. 5A in a rightwarddirection, viewfinder 508 enlarges its content. In embodiments utilizingfixed focal length cameras, this enlargement is provided by digitalmagnification of content (e.g., from wider-angle camera 502-a). Also,the change in zoom setting corresponds to the magnitude of the userinput, meaning that content in viewfinder 508 zooms continuously as theuser continues to move indicator 512. In some embodiments, the change inzoom setting is proportional to the magnitude of input movement.

When continued movement of indicator 512 results in the indicator beingmoved across threshold zoom setting indicator 514, viewfinder 508switches from displaying content from wider-angle camera 502-a todisplaying content from higher-magnification camera 502-b. Becausehigher-magnification camera 502-b provides higher (native) opticalmagnification, a lesser amount of digital magnification (if any) isneeded to maintain the overall size of the viewfinder's content.

As the user continues to move indicator 512 rightward of threshold zoomsetting indicator 514, viewfinder 508 applies digital magnification tothe content from higher-magnification camera 502-b correspondingly and,optionally, proportionately with the magnitude of input movement. Inthis way, zoom setting slider bar 510 and current zoom setting indicator512 constitute a “slider” control that governs the zoom setting ofviewfinder 508 over the functional ranges of multiple cameras.

This zooming capability is beneficial in at least two ways. First,because camera 502-a has a wider field of view than camera 502-b,viewfinder 508 can leverage wider-angle camera 502-a to provide moreexpansive visual compositions, allowing for more objects of interest tobe included in an image taken with device 500 for example. Conversely,because camera 502-b has higher native optical magnification, viewfinder508 can leverage higher-magnification camera 502-b to provide a targetedcomposition, allowing for a crisper, magnified view of one object ofinterest among multiple nearby objects. When implemented using camerasof fixed focal lengths, as is the case in the depicted embodiment,device 500 leverages the relatively simpler designs of fixed focallength cameras to impart higher-quality variable zoom functionality inthin form-factor devices. Second, viewfinder 508 does not require theuser's active management of source camera selection, even as the userzooms through the useful ranges though of multiple source cameras,thereby reducing the cognitive burden on the user.

Attention is now directed to more techniques for controlling zoomsettings, in addition to the use of a slider control, provided byviewfinder 508 in some embodiments. FIGS. 5C and 5D depict the use oftouch input such as tapping input and de-pinching and/or pinching inputto change the zoom setting of viewfinder 508. As depicted in FIG. 5C,user instruction to zoom viewfinder 508 can be a tap input such assingle-finger tap input 522 and/or two-finger tap input 524. As seen inFIG. 5D, responsive to either input 522 or 524, viewfinder 508 zoomsinto the displayed content (e.g., house 520) by switching to the use ofcontent from higher-magnification camera 502-b (optionally applyingdigital magnification onto the received content). Viewfinder 508 alsore-positions current zoom level indicator 512 to reflect the updatedzoom setting. Further, viewfinder 508 updates source camera indicator518 to indicate that viewfinder 508 is in a higher-magnificationsetting, for example, by displaying the verbiage of “2×” to indicatethat viewfinder 508 is displaying content from a higher-magnificationcamera of the device. Although not shown, it is noted that finger taps522 and 524 can each involve a single tap or multiple taps. In someembodiments, input 522 is a single-finger, double-tap touch input ondisplay 504 or a touch-sensitive surface associated with display 504.

Attention is now directed to additional techniques for controllingviewfinder zoom settings, particularly those related to the behavior ofviewfinder 508 as its zoom setting is adjusted at or near the thresholdvalue represented by threshold zoom setting indicator 514, withreference to FIGS. 5E-5K. FIG. 5E depicts viewfinder 508 displaying anobject of interest—house 520—at relatively zoomed-out setting using alow amount of digital magnification on content obtained from camerawider-angle 502-a. This zoom setting is confirmed by the position ofcurrent zoom setting indicator 512 towards the left end of zoom settingslider bar 510, as well as the indication of “1×” in source cameraindicator 518. While displaying house 520, device 500 receives ade-pinching input represented by touches 526.

Turning to FIG. 5F, de-pinching input 526 causes viewfinder 508 tozoom-in, through digital magnification, onto the content fromwider-angle camera 502-a. As the touch contacts of touches 526 moveapart, the viewfinder zooms correspondingly. This change in zoom settingresults in an enlargement of the displayed house 520 and a correspondingmovement of current zoom level indicator 512 in the rightward directiontowards threshold indicator 514. In the depicted example, the magnitudeof content enlargement and movement of indicator 512 are proportional tothe magnitude of de-pinching input 526.

FIG. 5G depicts the behavior of viewfinder 508 responsive to continuedde-pinching input 526, which is now of sufficient magnitude to move thezoom setting of the viewfinder beyond the threshold zoom settingrepresented by indicator 514. But, viewfinder 508 ceases to zoom beyondthe threshold zoom setting, despite the continued de-pinching movementof input 526. In this way, threshold zoom setting indicator 514 providesa “detent” feature, emphasizing to the user that the end of the usefulzoom range of one camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a) has beenreached and that further zooming operations will cause the device toswitch from using the wider-angle camera to using thehigher-magnification camera.

The detent can be overcome. In some embodiments, the detent is overcomeif a user continues de-pinching input 526 by a sufficient magnitudeafter the viewfinder's zoom setting has reached the threshold value ofindicator 514. FIGS. 5H and 5I depict this aspect. As seen in FIG. 5H,device 500 receives continued movement of de-pinching input 526 afterthe viewfinder's zoom setting has reached the threshold represented byindicator 514. Viewfinder 508 determines whether this continued inputhas a magnitude exceeding a threshold magnitude, for example, apredetermined threshold distance. If the continued movement is below thethreshold magnitude, the zoom setting of viewfinder 508 remainsstationary, as seen in FIG. 5J. If the continued movement of de-pinchinginput 526 exceeds the threshold magnitude, viewfinder 508 switchessource camera to higher-magnification camera 502-b, meaning that zoomingresumes, as seen in FIG. 5I.

When viewfinder 508 resumes zooming, the change in overall zoom settingis proportional to the overall movement of de-pinching input 526, insome embodiments. That is, once the continued movement of de-pinchinginput 526 overcomes the detent, viewfinder 508 reacts as though thedetent had not occurred: the zoom setting of the viewfinder catches upwith the overall magnitude of the de-pinching input. In someembodiments, when viewfinder 508 resumes zooming, the change in zoomsetting is proportional to only the post-detent movement of de-pinchinginput 526. Put another way, in these embodiments, a portion of themovement of de-pinching input 526 is consumed to overcome the detent.

In some embodiments, the detent is overcome when a user provides asecond, separate de-pinching input after releasing input 526. FIGS. 5Jand 5K illustrate this aspect. As seen in FIG. 5J, device 500 receivesseparate de-pinching input 528, after previous de-pinching input 526 isremoved (e.g., after detecting liftoff of one or more of the contacts ofde-pinching input 526). In response to this additional input 528,viewfinder 508 zooms beyond the zoom value of threshold indicator 514,meaning that viewfinder 508 switches from displaying content fromwider-angle camera 502-a to displaying content from higher-magnificationcamera 502-b. As seen in FIG. 5K, house 520 is enlarged as compared withFIG. 5J. The higher level of zoom is also confirmed by the correspondingmovement of current zoom setting indicator 512 and by the use of theverbiage “2×” in source camera indicator 518.

It is noted that while the “detent” features described using FIGS. 5E-5Kare based on de-pinching and/or pinching touch inputs, the describedfeatures can function with other forms of user input. For example, the“detent” feature would also function with user input in the form of atouch movement of current zoom setting indicator 512 across thresholdindicator 514 and/or depression of a mechanical zoom button or movementof zoom setting indicator 512 using a cursor and input device such as amouse/trackpad.

Attention is now directed to still additional zoom-related features withreference to FIGS. 5L-5N. Turning to FIG. 5L, while viewfinder 508 isdisplaying content from wider-angle camera 502-a, device 500 detectsinput 530 at a location of display 504. Input 530 is a single-finger tapinput in the depicted example. As seen in FIG. 5M, responsive to input530, viewfinder 508 displays boundary box 532 indicating the area thatviewfinder 508 is to zoom into. After displaying boundary box 532momentarily, viewfinder 508 zooms into the indicated area, as seen inFIG. 5N. Although not shown, boundary box 532 has a dotted perimeter insome embodiments. Although not shown, boundary box 532 flashes when itis displayed in some embodiments.

In the foregoing examples of FIGS. 5A-5N, viewfinder 508 includes a zoomsetting slider bar 510 that represents the useful zoom ranges ofmultiple cameras. Attention is now directed to other exemplaryimplementations of slider bars, particularly embodiments where a sliderbar represents the range of only the source camera of a viewfinder,meaning that the slider acts an indicator of digital magnification (oncontent from a source camera), but not overall zoom (e.g., digitaltogether with optical magnification).

This aspect is illustrated in FIGS. 5O-5Q. As seen in FIG. 5O, sourcecamera indicator 518 indicates that the current source camera iswider-angle camera 502-a. The width of zoom setting slider bar 550 thusdepicts the zoom range of wider-angle camera 502-a. Slider bar 550 neednot include a discontinuity (e.g., a threshold value indicator) tosignal the boundary between separate source cameras.

Responsive to input 538 representing user instructions to increase zoom,viewfinder 508 shows boundary box 540 identifying the area to bezoomed-into, as seen in FIG. 5P. After displaying boundary box 540momentarily, viewfinder 508 zooms into the identified area by switchingto the display of content from higher-magnification camera 502-b, asseen in FIG. 5Q (and, optionally, applies a digital magnification tocontent received from camera 502-b).

Furthermore, in the depicted embodiment, the amount of digitalmagnification that is applied to content from a source camera remainsconstant before and after the switch in source cameras. Device 500accounts for the amount of digital magnification being applied ontocontent from wider-angle camera 502-a before the switch (e.g., FIG. 5O),and applies the same amount of digital magnification onto content fromhigher-magnification camera 502-b after the switch (e.g., FIG. 5Q). Thepositioning of current zoom setting indicator 552 thus remainsstationary during source camera switches, even though viewfinder contentbecomes enlarged due to the higher native optical magnification of thenew source camera. This treatment of indicator 552 beneficially reducesjitter in the zoom slider control during source camera switches.

Attention is now directed to techniques for directly selecting a sourcecamera to be used as source for viewfinder 508, in some embodiments,with reference to FIGS. 5R-5T. As seen in FIG. 5R, while viewfinder 508is displaying content from one camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a),the viewfinder shows camera selection affordance 546. Camera selectionaffordance 546 provides a preview of content from another camera (e.g.,higher-magnification camera 502-b). That is, affordance 546 acts as aminiature viewfinder by showing a dynamic thumbnail image sourced froman alternate camera of device 500.

Camera selection affordance 546 is particularly useful where a userwishes to explore the impact of digital magnification versus opticalmagnification for artistic effect, for example. In these examples,viewfinder 508 permits the user to enlarge the content of a wider-anglecamera to the degree where the digitally magnified content appearsgrainy. FIG. 5S depicts the digital magnification of house 520 to thisextent (as depicted by the use of dotted lines). Simultaneous with thisdisplay of house 520, viewfinder 508 provides affordance 546 a previewfrom higher-magnification camera 502-b, suggesting to the user that analternate source of content is available.

When device 500 detects input 548 on affordance 546, viewfinder 508switches from the display of content from wider-angle camera 502-a tothe display of content from higher-magnification camera 502-b.Leveraging the higher native optical magnification properties of camera502-b, viewfinder 508 provides a crisper version of house 520 ascompared with camera 502-a at equivalent levels of overall (e.g.,digital and optical) magnification. While viewfinder 508 displayscontent from higher-magnification camera 502-b, affordance 546 updatesto display content from wider-angle camera 502-a dynamically.

In the depicted embodiment, the amount of overall magnification due todigital and optical magnification that is applied to content from asource camera remains constant before and after the switch in sourcecameras. For example, device 500 accounts for the amount of digitalmagnification that is applied to the base optical magnification ofwider-angle camera 502-a before the switch in source cameras, anddetermines a corresponding (e.g., lower) amount of digital magnificationthat should be applied to content from higher-magnification camera 502-bafter the switch, so that the combined effects of digital and nativeoptical magnification with respect to viewfinder objects remain the samebefore and after switching source cameras. As can be seen by comparingFIGS. 5S and 5T, house 520 appears at approximately the same size beforeand after the switch in source cameras. This treatment of viewfindercontent beneficially reduces jitter in the viewfinder display areaduring source camera switches.

In some embodiments, camera selection affordance 546 is displayed onlyafter a user zooms viewfinder 508 beyond a threshold zoom setting. Thiswithholding of the display of affordance 546 reduces on-screen clutterand increases the amount of display area that is available forpreviewing content from an active source camera.

In some embodiments, camera selection affordance 546 does not provide adynamic preview of content, but is instead fashioned as an “enhance”button, such as by displaying affordance 546 as a button labeled“enhance”. In these embodiments, when the “enhance” button is selected,viewfinder 508 switches source cameras, and performs the necessarycalculations to maintain the on-screen size of viewfinder content. Byswitching source cameras to provide a crisper showing of viewfindercontent at the same size, affordance 546 provides the visual effect ofenhancing the displayed viewfinder content.

In the examples of FIGS. 5A-5T, device 500 switches between displayingcontent from multiple cameras responsive to user interaction withviewfinder 508. The on-screen switching of source cameras can, however,introduce visual artifacts into viewfinder 508 that distract from theoverall user experience. For example, viewfinder 508 may appear jitteryif content from one camera is not aligned with content from anothercamera during a switch of source cameras. This effect, due to parallax,increases as the distance between the cameras increases and decreases asthe distance between the cameras and the subject increases.

Attention is now directed to other features that mitigate negativevisual impacts while zooming the viewfinder. In some embodiments,viewfinder 508 provides a transition effect during the switching ofsource cameras. In some examples, the transition effect is a cross-fadeeffect in which content from both cameras are blended and displayedmomentarily. In some examples, the transition effect is a cross-fadeeffect in which content from both cameras are simultaneously displayedatop one another as translucent overlays, momentarily. In some examples,the transition effect is a blur effect in which content from one or bothcameras is blurred momentarily. The level of blending, translucency,and/or blur is adjusted dynamically as the zoom setting changes in someembodiments. These transition effects mask minor misalignments inviewfinder content positioning and/or changes in viewfinder object sizesresulting from the switch in source camera, thereby improving theperceived quality of device 500.

In some embodiments, viewfinder 508 reduces parallax associated withswitching source cameras. As the cameras of device 500 may not beconcentric, but are rather placed side by side, switching between sourcecameras can produce minor parallax caused by the different positions (orvantage points) of the cameras relative to the subject. To reduce theappearance of parallax within viewfinder 508 in these embodiments,device 500 identifies a portion of viewfinder content that is to survivethe switch (e.g., a point of interest such as a portion of house 520),and performs calculations necessary to maintain the portion of interestat the same location of display 504. More specifically, viewfinder 508shifts as necessary the visual content received from the new sourcecamera and/or the old source camera so that the point of interest isdisplayed at the same pixel(s) of display 504 before and after theswitch in source cameras. If the point of interest is selected so thatit include the region of the visual content that the user is interestedin and likely looking at (e.g., by selecting a focus point selected bythe user or a centroid of a pinch input), the shift caused by parallaxwhen switching between the two cameras is reduced for the region of thevisual content that the user is interested in (even though a greatershift caused by parallax will occur in other regions of the visualcontent).

In some embodiments, the point of interest is specified by the user,such as the location of a tap or the centroid of a de-pinching input. Insome embodiments, the point of interest is specified by the device, suchas by identifying a portion of viewfinder content that exhibitspixel-to-pixel variations indicative of a foreground object (as opposedto background), and that to survive the camera switch operation. In thisway, device 500 reduces the appearance of parallax caused by differencesin camera vantage points.

In some embodiments, visual artifacts in the viewfinder that can becaused by switching source cameras is avoided altogether by confiningviewfinder 508 to the display of content from a preferred camera,regardless of zoom setting. For instance, because wider-angle camera502-a has a field-of-view that subsumes the field of view of thehigher-magnification camera 502-b, viewfinder 508 can rely on digitalmagnification of content from wider-angle camera 502-a to mimic thedisplay of content from higher-magnification camera 502-b, withoutresorting to the use of higher-magnification camera 502-b.

In some embodiments, when a user elects to store a captured picture, forexample by activating affordance 516, device 500 identifies and uses thecamera most optimal for capturing content at the overall zoom setting tocreate the output media. For example, if viewfinder 508 is at a zoomsetting below the threshold value represented by indicator 514 (FIG.5A), device 500 stores visual information from wider-angle camera 502-a,as the same image composition cannot be obtained from camera 502-b,which has a narrower field of view. Conversely, if viewfinder is 508 ata zoom setting above the threshold value, device 500 stores visualinformation from the higher optical-magnification camera 502-b, as thehigher-magnification camera enjoys greater clarity using native opticalmagnification.

2. Dual Digital Viewfinder

Attention is now directed to embodiments featuring dual, simultaneouslydisplayed digital viewfinders for creating still images, with referenceto FIGS. 6A-6E. As seen in FIG. 6A, device 600 has cameras 602-a and602-b located on a side opposite of display 604. Display 604 providescamera user interface 606 having dual digital viewfinders 608-a and608-b. Viewfinder 608-a displays content from one camera (e.g., camera602-a) while viewfinder 608-b displays content from the other camera(e.g., camera 602-b), simultaneously. Camera 602-a is a wider-anglecamera and camera 602-b is a higher-magnification camera, in someembodiments.

User interface 606 allows a user to manage the compositions of digitalviewfinders 608-a and 608-b independently, such as by zooming, panning,and freezing viewfinder content. User interface 606 also allows a userto store visual information from both cameras simultaneously. In someembodiments, visual information from both cameras are stored orotherwise associated with one another, forming what is referred to as a“diptych” image.

As seen in FIG. 6A, viewfinder 608-a, which displays content fromwider-angle camera 602-a, allows viewfinder objects including house 612,tree 614, and car 616 to be previewed together. In contrast, viewfinder608-b, which displays content from higher-magnification camera 602-b,allows house 612 and tree 614 to be previewed at a larger size, but isunable to capture car 616 within its narrower field of view.

Turning to FIG. 6B while referring back to FIG. 6A, in response toexemplary user input 620, which is a touch movement within the displayarea of viewfinder 608-a, viewfinder 608-a pans rightward, effectivelyremoving tree 614 from view. Viewfinder 608-b does not pan in responseto user input 620, as the input falls outside (or, optionally becausethe input starts outside) of the display area of viewfinder 608-b.

Turning to FIG. 6C while referring back to FIG. 6B, in response toexemplary user input 622, which is a de-pinching touch input within thedisplay area of viewfinder 608-a, viewfinder 608-a zooms into displayedobjects 612 and 616. Viewfinder 608-b does not zoom in response to userinput 622, as the input falls outside (or, optionally because the inputstarts outside) of the display area of viewfinder 608-b.

Turning to FIG. 6D while referring back to FIG. 6C, in response toexemplary user input 624, which is tap within the display area ofviewfinder 608-a, viewfinder 608-a freezes its displayed content,meaning that the displayed content becomes static and no longer updatesdynamically based on movement of objects with respect to camera 602-a.Viewfinder 608-b does not freeze in response to user input 624, as theinput falls outside the display area of viewfinder 608-b. Thus, asdevice 600 pans to the left, the content of viewfinder 608-b updatesdynamically by panning to the left. Meanwhile, viewfinder 608-a, whichis frozen, remains fixed despite the movement of device 600.

In some embodiments, the content of a frozen digital viewfinder canstill be manipulated by a user, such that the image is, optionally,zoomed in or out, panned, rotated, or subject to digital filters andother editing effects. To support these types of image manipulation,particularly zooming out and panning, the freezing of viewfinder 608-ain some embodiments involves capturing camera content beyond what isimmediately needed (e.g., in terms of image size and resolution) fordisplay in a frozen viewfinder. The extra content can be later revealedresponsive to zooming and panning of the frozen viewfinder asappropriate.

In some embodiments, a frozen viewfinder unfreezes in response to anadditional user input within its display area. Exemplary user inputs forunfreezing a frozen viewfinder include a single-finger tap, adouble-finger tap, and a de-pinching/pinching input. In someembodiments, upon unfreezing, a viewfinder immediately resumesdisplaying source camera content dynamically. In some embodiments, uponunfreezing, a viewfinder continues to display information statically(e.g., with the composition that the device had displayed while frozen)until an additional input (e.g., to zoom or pan the viewfinder) isdetected, at which time the unfrozen viewfinder begins to display cameracontent dynamically again.

Turning to FIGS. 6E and 6F, in response to exemplary user input 620,which is a two-finger touch movement 628 in a horizontal direction,device 600 creates diptych image 630 using content as seen in frozenviewfinder 608-a and the content as seen in viewfinder 608-b sourcedfrom camera 602-b. In some embodiments, diptych image 630 is stored intothe non-volatile storage of device 600 as one or more associated filessuch that diptych image 630 be later retrieved from a library collectionof visual media content.

For brevity, it is noted that viewfinder 608-b can be zoomed, panned,and/or frozen in the same manner as described with reference toviewfinder 608-a. Further, although not shown, each of viewfinders 608-aand 608-b can display one or more affordances for controlling and/orindicating the zoom setting of respective viewfinder, such as the zoom“slider” controls described with respect to FIGS. 5A-5T. Further still,although the discussion of FIGS. 6D and 6E relies on exemplary input 694for freezing a viewfinder, in some embodiments, the release of anexisting input is taken as an instruction to freeze a viewfinder. Forexample, a viewfinder can freeze as a user releases the touch input thatwas used to pan the viewfinder's displayed content (e.g., release ofpanning input 620 in FIG. 6B), meaning that the release of an input canitself be recognized as an input for freezing a viewfinder, in theseembodiments.

Also, although the discussion of FIGS. 6A-6F involve the use of certainexemplary inputs for triggering specific viewfinder effects (e.g.,single-finger single-tap to freeze a viewfinder), one of ordinary skillin the art would appreciate that other types of input can be used toaffect viewfinder behavior. For example, panning can be performed usingmulti-finger inputs, zooming can be performed using a hardware button ofdevice 600, freezing can be performed using multiple taps, and thestoring of viewfinder content into a diptych image can be invoked usingtouch inputs other than a two-finger horizontal swipe, without departingfrom the principal capabilities of device 600. Further, device 600 caninterpret parts of a continuous touch gesture as containing multipleinputs for controlling viewfinders, in some embodiments. For example,device 600 can interpret a touch gesture that includes a two-fingerde-pinching component, followed by a lateral movement of the twofingers, and followed by a release of one of the two fingers, ascontaining three inputs: the initial de-pinching input zooms a relevantviewfinder, the later two-finger lateral movement pans the viewfinder,and the subsequent single-finger release freezes the viewfinder.

Attention is now directed to embodiments featuring dual, simultaneouslydisplayed digital viewfinders for creating videos, with reference toFIG. 7. As seen in FIG. 7, device 700 has cameras 702-a and 702-blocated on a side opposite of display 704. Display 704 provides camerauser interface 706 having dual digital viewfinders 708-a and 708-b.Viewfinder 708-a displays content from one camera (e.g., camera 702-a)while viewfinder 708-b displays content from the other camera (e.g.,camera 702-b). Camera 702-a is a wider-angle camera and camera 702-b isa higher-magnification camera in some embodiments.

User interface 706 allows a user to manage the compositions of digitalviewfinders 708-a and 708-b independently, such as by zooming andpanning viewfinder content separately. User interface 706 also allows auser to initiate simultaneous recording (e.g., storing) of visualinformation from both cameras. As seen in the example of FIG. 7, device700 can simultaneously store a wider-angle video based on thecomposition of viewfinder 708-a, as well as a more zoomed-in video basedon the composition of higher-magnification viewfinder 708-b. In theillustrated example, device 700 is storing a court-side view of avolleyball serve using the wider-angle composition of viewfinder 708-a,as well as an enlarged view of a single volleyball player based on thehigher-magnification composition of viewfinder 708-b.

In some embodiments, user interface 706 permits user control of theframe rate at which “video” is stored. For example, user interface 706can store visual information from camera 702-a (as shown in viewfinder708-a) at 24 frames per second (fps), which is accepted in filmographyas sufficient for producing content perceived by human users as video.Simultaneously, visual information from camera 702-b (as shown inviewfinder 708-b) can be stored at a higher frame rate, such as 48 fps,to enable slow motion playback of the volleyball player's serve indetail. Conversely, visual information from camera 702-b can be storedat the typical 24 fps while visual information from camera 702-a isstored at a lower rate of three fps so as to impart a snapshot qualityto the “video” taken from camera 702-a.

In some embodiments, user interface 706 permits user control of othervisual characteristics that are applied to a stored video. In someexamples, content from the first and second cameras are stored atdifferent resolutions. In some examples, content from the first andsecond cameras are stored using different image enhancement techniques,including image processing techniques that alter the appearance of animage or video, such as its brightness, contrast, saturation, hue, colorintensity, exposure, color scheme, and/or the application of filters.

In some embodiments, content stored from one camera and used as anidentifier for content stored from another camera. For example, a stillimage obtained from wider-angle camera 702-a is used as a thumbnailimage to represent a video file created based on content fromhigher-magnification camera 702-b. Device 700 can display the thumbnailimage (or other graphical representation) of the stored video among alibrary of videos for later playback selection.

In some embodiments, non-visual media is captured and stored with thevisual content from the first and second cameras. For example,non-visual media includes audio media captured by a microphone ofdevice, 100, 300, or 500, such as microphone 113 (FIG. 1A). In someembodiments, a user can trigger audio playback while device 700 isdisplaying a library collection of stored videos, ahead of a user'sselection of a stored video for visual playback. In this way, the audiocomponent can assist the user's selection of a video for playback. Insome embodiments the enhanced-zoom mode of camera operation describedwith reference to FIGS. 5A-5T, the dyptich mode of camera operationdescribed with reference to FIGS. 6A-6G, and the multimedia-capture modeof camera operation described with reference to FIG. 7 are all modes ofoperation of the same set of cameras, and a user can switch betweenthese modes depending on the situation and the user's preferences andsave media captured in the different modes of operation to a same cameraroll or other media gallery.

3. Exemplary Processes

FIGS. 8A-8C are flow diagrams illustrating exemplary process 800 forproviding viewfinder zoom capabilities using multiple cameras inaccordance with some embodiments, such as those described above withreference to FIGS. 5A-5T. Process 800 is carried out by device 500 (FIG.5), which is, optionally, electronic device 100 or 300 (FIGS. 1A and3A), in some embodiments.

At block 802, the electronic device displays a digital viewfindershowing content from one of at least two cameras. An exemplary digitalviewfinder is viewfinder 508 (FIGS. 5A-5T). Exemplary cameras includewider-angle camera 502-a and higher-magnification camera 502-b (FIGS.5A-5T). Viewfinder content is displayed at a certain zoom setting.

At block 804, the electronic device detects user input representing auser instruction to store visual media. An exemplary user instruction tostore visual media is the activation of affordance 516 in camera userinterface 506 (FIGS. 5A-5T).

At block 806, responsive to the user input, a determination is made asto whether the zoom setting is above or below a threshold zoom value. Ifthe zoom setting is below the zoom threshold value, then processingproceeds to block 808 where content from a first camera (e.g.,wider-angle camera 502-a) is stored. If the setting is above the zoomthreshold value, then processing proceeds to block 810 where contentfrom a second camera (e.g., higher-magnification camera 502-b) isstored. Storing content from a camera includes creating an image orvideo file, in a non-volatile memory of the electronic device, in someembodiments.

Block 802 optionally includes sub-block 802-a. As depicted in FIG. 8B,during sub-block 802-a, the selection of camera content for display inthe viewfinder is made by determining whether the zoom setting is aboveor below a threshold zoom value. If the zoom setting is below thethreshold zoom value, then content is displayed from a first camera(e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a). If the setting is above the thresholdzoom value, then content is displayed from a second camera (e.g.,higher-magnification camera 502-b).

Block 802 optionally includes sub-block 802-a. As depicted in FIG. 8B,during sub-block 802-b, the electronic device switches the source cameraof its viewfinder responsive to user input representing an instructionto change viewfinder source camera. The user input is an activation ofan on-screen camera selection affordance (e.g., affordance 546 in FIG.5S) in some examples. The user input is a tap on the viewfinder (e.g.,tap 522 or 524 in FIG. 5C, tap 530 in FIG. 5L, or tap 538 in FIG. 5O) insome examples.

Block 802 optionally includes sub-block 802-c. As depicted in FIG. 8C,during sub-block 802-c, the electronic device detects user inputrepresenting a request to change the zoom setting from a value below toa value greater than the threshold zoom value. Exemplary user input tochange the zoom setting include a pinching touch input, a de-pinchingtouch input, a touch movement, one or more taps, depression of ahardware button, so forth. Responsive to the user input, the electronicdevice zooms the viewfinder by displaying content from the first camera(e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a) and then switching to displayingcontent from the second camera (e.g., higher-magnification camera502-b). In addition, before switching to the second camera, content fromthe first camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a) is digitally magnifiedresponsive to the user input.

Block 802 optionally includes sub-block 802-d. As depicted in FIG. 8C,during sub-block 802-d, the electronic device detects user inputrepresenting a request to change the zoom setting to a value greaterthan the threshold zoom value. Responsive to the user input, theelectronic device zooms the viewfinder by digitally magnifying contentfrom the first camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 502-a in FIG. 5A), butdoes not switch to displaying content from the second camera (e.g.,higher-magnification camera 502-b in FIG. 5B). Rather, the viewfinderceases to zoom beyond the maximum zoom level of the first camera (e.g.,wider-angle camera 502-a). Upon pausing at the maximum zoom level of thefirst camera, the viewfinder switches to displaying content from thesecond camera (e.g., higher-magnification camera 502-b) under someconditions. For example, the viewfinder switches source camera when thecontinued movement of the detected user input exceeds a thresholdmagnitude. As another example, the viewfinder switches source camerawhen a separate, second user input representing a request to change thezoom setting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value isdetected.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary process 900 for storingvisual content using multiple cameras in accordance with someembodiments, such as those described above with reference to FIGS.6A-6F. Process 900 is carried out by device 600 (FIG. 6), which is,optionally, electronic device 100 or 300 (FIGS. 1A and 3A), in someembodiments.

At block 902, the electronic device displays two digital viewfinders. Afirst displayed viewfinder (e.g., viewfinder 608-a in FIGS. 6A-6F) showscontent from a first camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 602-a in FIGS.6A-6F). A second displayed viewfinder (e.g., viewfinder 608-b in FIGS.6A-6F) shows content from a second camera (e.g., higher-magnificationcamera 602-b in FIGS. 6A-6F).

At block 904, user input representing manipulation of the firstviewfinder is detected. The input is instruction to pan, zoom, and/orfreeze the viewfinder, for example. The input is provided on an area ofdisplay 604 or a touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the displayarea of the first viewfinder. Responsive to this input, the firstviewfinder performs the requested operation. The second viewfinder neednot be affected by this input.

At block 906, user input representing manipulation of the secondviewfinder is detected. The input is instruction to pan, zoom, and/orfreeze the viewfinder, for example. The input is provided on an area ofdisplay 604 or a touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the displayarea of the second viewfinder. Responsive to this input, the secondviewfinder performs the requested operation. The first viewfinder neednot be affected by this input.

Optionally, at block 908, user input representing an instruction tounfreeze a frozen viewfinder is detected. Responsive to the instruction,the relevant viewfinder is unfrozen and begins to dynamically displayvisual information received from a corresponding source camera.

At block 910, user input representing an instruction to store visualcontent from the first and second cameras, consistent with thecomposition as presented in the first and second viewfinders, isdetected. Responsive to this user input, the electronic device creates astill image containing content from the first and second cameras andstores the still image into long-term storage such as a non-volatilememory. In some embodiments, content from the first and second camerasare stored side-by-side to provide the appearance of a “diptych.” Insome embodiments, the still image is stored into a library of visualcontent, such as into a library of images and videos.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary process 1000 forproviding viewfinder zoom capabilities using multiple cameras inaccordance with some embodiments, such as those described above withreference to FIG. 7. In some embodiments, process 1000 is carried out bydevice 700 (FIG. 7), which is, optionally, electronic device 100 or 300(FIGS. 1A and 3A).

At block 1002, the electronic device displays two digital viewfinders. Afirst displayed viewfinder (e.g., viewfinder 708-a in FIG. 7) showscontent from a first camera (e.g., wider-angle camera 602-a in FIG. 7).A second displayed viewfinder (e.g., viewfinder 708-b in FIGS. 7A-7F)shows content from a second camera (e.g., higher-magnification camera702-b in FIGS. 7A-7F). Optionally, at block 1004, user inputrepresenting manipulation of the first and/or second viewfinder isdetected. The input is instruction to pan and/or zoom a viewfinder, forexample. The user input may result in viewfinders 708-a and 708-b havingdifferent visual characteristics.

At block 1006, user input representing an instruction begin recording(e.g., storing) content from the first and second cameras as seen inviewfinders 708-a and 708-b, respectively, is detected. At block 1008,responsive to the user input, the electronic begins to store a first anda second visual media using content from the first and second camerabased on the composition of the first and second viewfinders,concurrently.

In some embodiments, concurrently storing a first and second visualmedia includes concurrently recording two videos, concurrently storingtwo still images, or concurrently recording a digital video and storingone or more still images. In some embodiments, concurrently storing afirst and second visual media includes storing the first and secondvisual media in a memory such as a non-volatile memory. In someembodiments, the first and second visual media components are stored asa single file or are other associated with one another. At block 1010,the stored visual media is displayed among a collection of mediaobjects.

At block 1012, upon user selection of a graphical user interface elementrepresenting the stored visual media, the stored visual media isplayed-back on a display of the electronic device.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 11 shows a functional blockdiagram of an electronic device 1100 configured in accordance with theprinciples of the various described embodiments. The functional blocksof the device are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software to carry out the principles of thevarious described embodiments, including those described with referenceto the user interfaces of FIGS. 5A-5T.

As seen in FIG. 11, exemplary electronic device 1100 includes displayunit 1102 configured to display graphical objects including the digitalviewfinders described above; input interface unit 1104 configured todetect user input. Optionally, device 1100 includes touch-sensitivesurface unit 1106 either as part of or operatively coupled to inputinterface unit 1104 configured to detect touch input. In someembodiments, touch-sensitive surface unit 1106, when present, isseparate from display unit 1102. In some embodiments, touch-sensitivesurface unit 1106, when present, forms a touch screen with display unit1102. Device 1100 also includes camera units 1106 and 1108 configured tocapture visual content; memory unit 1110 configured to store contentcaptured by one or more of the cameras; and non-visual media capturingunit 1112 configured to capture non-visual media such as audio. Device1100 also includes processing unit 1114. In some embodiments processingunit 1114 supports an input detection unit 1116 that is configured todetect input via input interface unit 1106; viewfinder 1118 zooming unitconfigured to provide zooming features for digital viewfinder(s)displayed via display unit 1102; viewfinder panning unit configured topan the contents of digital viewfinder(s) displayed via display unit1102; parallax adjustment unit 1122 for reducing the effects of parallaxcaused by the different locations of camera units 1108 and 1110 withrespect a point of interest; and display enabling unit 1124 to enablethe display of content on display unit 1102.

As display unit 1102 is displaying (e.g., with display enabling unit1124) a digital viewfinder having content from one of a first and asecond camera (e.g., camera units 1108 or 1110) displayed at a zoomsetting, processing unit 1114 is configured to: detect (e.g., with inputdetection unit 1116) user input representing an instruction to storevisual media; in response to detecting the input representing theinstruction to store visual media and in accordance with a determinationthat the zoom setting is below a threshold zoom value; store visualmedia using content from the first camera (e.g., into visual mediastoring unit 1112); and in response to detecting the input representingthe instruction to store visual media and in accordance with adetermination that the zoom setting is above the threshold zoom value,store visual media using content from the second camera (e.g., intovisual media storing unit 1112).

In some embodiments, first camera unit 1108 has a first focal length andthe second camera unit 1110 has a second focal length different than thefirst focal length. In some embodiments, first camera unit 1108 has afixed focal length and second camera unit 1110 has a fixed focal length.In some embodiments, second camera 1110 has a longer focal length thanfirst camera 1108. In some embodiments, the fields of view of the firstcamera 1108 and the second camera 1110 overlap by at least fiftypercent.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1124) the digital viewfindervia display unit 1102 by enabling display of content from first cameraunit 1108 (e.g., a wider-angle camera) in the digital viewfinder, inaccordance with a determination (e.g., by viewfinder zooming unit 1118)that the zoom setting is below the threshold zoom value. In someembodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to enable display (e.g.,with display enabling unit 1124) the digital viewfinder via display unit1102 by enabling display of content from second camera 1110 (e.g., ahigher-magnification camera) in the digital viewfinder, in accordancewith a determination (e.g., by viewfinder zooming unit 1118) that thezoom setting is above the threshold zoom value.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1124), via display unit 1102,of the digital viewfinder by enabling display of content from firstcamera 1108 (e.g., a wider-angle camera) at a zoom setting lower thanthe threshold zoom value; detect (e.g., through input detection unit1116) input representing a request to set the zoom setting to a valuegreater than the threshold zoom value; and zoom (e.g., with viewfinderzooming unit 1118) the digital viewfinder displayed on display unit 1102by displaying content from first camera 1108 (e.g., a wider-anglecamera) and then switching to displaying content from second camera 1110(e.g., a higher-magnification camera) in response to detecting the inputrepresenting the request to set the zoom setting to a value greater thanthe threshold zoom value.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to zoom (e.g.,with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) the digital viewfinder by performinga digital zoom operation on content from first camera 1108 (e.g., awider-angle camera), where the first camera has a wider field of viewthan second camera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnification camera), beforeswitching (e.g., with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) to displayingcontent from second camera 1110.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to: detect(e.g., with input detection unit 1116) a user's specification of a pointof interest in the digital viewfinder, when switching (e.g., withviewfinder zooming unit 1118) from displaying content from first camera1108 (e.g., a wider-angle camera) to displaying content from secondcamera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnification camera), adjust the relativepositions of the displayed content from first camera 1108 and thedisplayed content from second camera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnificationcamera) to reduce the appearance of parallax at the point of interest(e.g., with viewfinder zooming unit 1118).

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1124) the digital viewfinderon display unit 1102 by enabling display of content from first camera1108 (e.g., wider-angle camera) at a zoom setting lower than thethreshold zoom value; and detect (e.g., with input detection unit 1116)input representing a request to set the zoom setting to a value greaterthan the threshold zoom value. In some embodiments, processing unit 1114is configured to: in response to detecting the input representing therequest to set the zoom setting to a value greater than the thresholdzoom value, zoom (e.g., with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) the digitalviewfinder to display content from first camera 1108 (e.g., awider-angle camera) at the threshold zoom value.

In some embodiments, the input representing the request to set the zoomsetting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value is a firstinput, and processing unit 1114 is configured to: after detecting thefirst input and while the zoom setting is set to the threshold zoomvalue, detect (e.g., with input detection unit 1116) a second inputrepresenting a second request to set the zoom setting to a second valuegreater than the threshold zoom value. In some embodiments, processingunit 1114 is configured to: in response to detecting the second input,zoom (e.g., with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) the digital viewfinder todisplay content from second camera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnificationcamera) at the second value of zoom setting.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1124), via display unit 1102,in the digital viewfinder a visual indication of the zoom setting. Insome embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to enable display(e.g., with display enabling unit 1124), via display unit 1102, in thedigital viewfinder a visual indication of the threshold zoom value.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to zoom (e.g.,with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) the digital viewfinder to displaycontent from second camera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnification camera) atthe requested zoom setting value by displaying, via display unit 1102, atransition effect in the digital viewfinder indicative of the zoomsetting changing from a value at the threshold to a value above thethreshold. The transition effect transitions between an image capturedby first camera 1108 (e.g., a wider-angle camera) and an image capturedby second camera 1110 (e.g., a higher-magnification camera), forexample.

In some embodiments, first camera 1108 has a wider field of view thansecond 1110 camera and the digital viewfinder displayed on display unit1102 comprises content from first camera 1108, regardless of the zoomsetting.

In some embodiments, first camera 1108 and second camera 1110 haveoverlapping fields of view, and processing unit 1114 is configured to,while display unit 1102 is displaying content from one of the first andsecond cameras 1108 and 1110 in the digital viewfinder (e.g., withdisplay enabling unit 1124), detect (e.g., with input detection unit1116) one or more taps on the touch-sensitive surface unit. In someembodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to, in response todetecting the one or more taps, switch (e.g., with viewfinder zoomingunit 1118) the displayed content of the digital viewfinder to contentfrom the other of the first and second cameras.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to, whiledisplay unit 1102 is displaying (e.g., with display enabling unit 1124)content from one of the first and second cameras 1108 and 1110 in thedigital viewfinder, enable display via the display unit a cameraselection affordance, the camera selection affordance displaying contentfrom the other camera of the first and second cameras. The one or moretaps is detected at a location of the touch-sensitive surface unitcorresponding to the camera selection affordance in some examples.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1114 is configured to apply digitalzooming (e.g., with viewfinder zooming unit 1118) to content from firstcamera 1108 and/or second camera 1110. In some embodiments, processingunit 1114 is configured to pan (e.g., with viewfinder panning unit 1118)content from first camera 1108 and/or second camera 1110 responsive touser input detected through input detection unit 1116.

The operations described above with respect to FIGS. 8A-8C are,optionally, implemented by components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1B, 3, orFIG. 11. For example, detecting operation 804 is, optionally,implemented by event sorter 170, event recognizer 180, and event handler190. Event monitor 171 in event sorter 170 detects user input on aninput device, and event dispatcher module 174 delivers the eventinformation to application 143. A respective event recognizer 180 ofapplication 143 compares the event information to respective eventdefinitions 186, and determines whether the input represents aninstruction to store viewfinder content. When a respective event orsub-event is detected, event recognizer 180 activates an event handler190, which may use or call data updater 176, object updater 177, or GUIupdater 178 to perform corresponding application updates. It would beclear to a person of ordinary skill in the art how other processes canbe implemented based on the components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1B and/orFIG. 3.

It is understood by persons of skill in the art that the functionalblocks described in FIG. 11 are, optionally, combined or separated intosub-blocks to implement the principles of the various describedembodiments. Therefore, the description herein optionally supports anypossible combination or separation or further definition of thefunctional blocks described herein. For example, units 1102-1112 canhave associated “controller” units that are operatively coupled with therespective unit and processing unit 1114 to enable operation. Thesecontroller units are not separately illustrated in FIG. 11 but areunderstood to be within the grasp of one of ordinary skill in the artwho is designing a device having units 1102-1112 such as device 1100.The description herein thus optionally supports combination, separation,and/or further definition of the functional blocks described herein.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 12 shows a functional blockdiagram of an electronic device 1200 configured in accordance with theprinciples of the various described embodiments. The functional blocksof the device are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software to carry out the principles of thevarious described embodiments, including those described with referenceto the user interfaces of FIGS. 6A-6G.

As seen in FIG. 12, exemplary electronic device 1200 includes displayunit 1202 configured to display graphical objects including the digitalviewfinders described above; input interface unit 1204 configured todetect user input. Optionally, device 1200 includes touch-sensitivesurface unit 1206 either as part of or operatively coupled to inputinterface unit 1204 configured to detect touch input. In someembodiments, touch-sensitive surface unit 1206, when present, isseparate from display unit 1202. In some embodiments, touch-sensitivesurface unit 1206, when present, forms a touch screen with display unit1202. Device 1200 also includes camera units 1206 and 1208 configured tocapture visual content; memory unit 1210 configured to store contentcaptured by one or more of the cameras; and visual media capturing unit1212 configured to capture visual media such as videos and/or images(and optionally, non-visual media such as audio). Device 1200 alsoincludes processing unit 1214. In some embodiments processing unit 1214supports an input detection unit 1216 that is configured to detect inputvia input interface unit 1206; viewfinder zooming unit 1218 configuredto provide zooming features for digital viewfinder(s) displayed viadisplay unit 1202; viewfinder panning unit configured to pan thecontents of digital viewfinder(s) displayed via display unit 1202;viewfinder freezing unit 1222 for freezing the content of one or moredigital viewfinders displayed on display unit 1202; and display enablingunit 1224 for enabling the display of content on display unit 1204.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1214 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1224) via a first portion ofdisplay unit 1202, of a first digital viewfinder showing content fromfirst camera 1208, and enable display (e.g., with display enabling unit1224) via a second portion of display unit 1202, of a second digitalviewfinder, the second digital viewfinder displaying content from secondcamera 1210; detect (e.g., with input detection unit 1216), a firstinput representing an instruction to zoom the first digital viewfinder;in response to detecting the first input, zoom the first digitalviewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder (e.g., withviewfinder zooming unit 1218); detect (e.g., with input detection unit1216), a second input representing an instruction to freeze the firstdigital viewfinder; and in response to detecting the second input,freeze (e.g., with viewfinder freezing unit 1220) the first digitalviewfinder independently of the second digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, the first input is a de-pinching input located on aportion of touch-sensitive surface unit 1204 corresponding to the firstdigital viewfinder displayed on display unit 1202.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1214 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1224), via display unit 1202,of the first digital viewfinder by enabling a display of an affordanceproviding visual indication of a zoom setting; and detect (e.g., withinput detection unit 1216), a touch movement at a location oftouch-sensitive surface unit 1204 corresponding to the affordanceproviding visual indication of the zoom setting.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1214 is configured to detect (e.g.,with input detection unit 1216) a third input at a location oftouch-sensitive surface unit 1204 corresponding to the first digitalviewfinder; and in response to detecting the third input, pan (e.g.,with viewfinder panning unit 1220) the first digital viewfinderindependently of the second digital viewfinder.

In some embodiments, the first input is a touch input on touch-sensitivesurface unit 1204 and the second input is a release of the first input.In some embodiments, the second input is a tap at a location oftouch-sensitive surface unit 1204 corresponding to the first digitalviewfinder.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1214 is configured to: freeze(e.g., with viewfinder freezing unit 1222) the first digital viewfinderby displaying in the first digital viewfinder a still image receivedusing first camera 1208; and detect (e.g., through input detection unit1216) a fourth input, where visual media storing unit 1212 is configuredto, in response to detecting the fourth input, add a combined digitalimage comprising the still image and a second image received from secondcamera 1210 to a library of images (e.g., using visual media storageunit 1212).

In some embodiments, the combined digital image is an image comprisingthe first image and the second image side-by-side.

In some embodiments, first camera 1208 has a first focal length andsecond camera 1210 has a second focal length different from the firstfocal length. In some embodiments, first camera 1208 has a fixed focallength and second camera 1210 has a fixed focal length. In someembodiments, second camera 1210 has a longer focal length than firstcamera 1208. In some embodiments, first camera 1208 and second camera1210 have overlapping fields of view. In some embodiments, the fields ofview of first camera 1208 and second camera 1210 overlap by at leastfifty percent.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1214 is configured to: detect(e.g., with input detection unit 1216) a fifth input at a location ofthe touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the first digitalviewfinder, after freezing (e.g., with viewfinder freezing unit 1222)the first digital viewfinder; and in response to detecting the fifthinput, unfreeze (e.g., with viewfinder freezing unit 1222) the firstdigital viewfinder and displaying (e.g., with display enabling unit1224) content from first camera 1208 in the first digital viewfinder.

The operations described above with respect to FIG. 9, optionally,implemented by components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1B, 3, or FIG. 12. Forexample, detecting operation 904 and detecting operation 906 are,optionally, implemented by event sorter 170, event recognizer 180, andevent handler 190. Event monitor 171 in event sorter 170 detects userinput on an input device, and event dispatcher module 174 delivers theevent information to application 143. A respective event recognizer 180of application 143 compares the event information to respective eventdefinitions 186, and determines whether the input represents aninstruction to manipulate a viewfinder. When a respective event orsub-event is detected, event recognizer 180 activates an event handler190, which may use or call data updater 176, object updater 177, or GUIupdater 178 to perform corresponding application updates. It would beclear to a person of ordinary skill in the art how other processes canbe implemented based on the components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1B and/orFIG. 3.

It is understood by persons of skill in the art that the functionalblocks described in FIG. 12 are, optionally, combined or separated intosub-blocks to implement the principles of the various describedembodiments. Therefore, the description herein optionally supports anypossible combination or separation or further definition of thefunctional blocks described herein. For example, units 1202-1212 canhave associated “controller” units that are operatively coupled with therespective unit and processing unit 1214 to enable operation. Thesecontroller units are not separately illustrated in FIG. 12 but areunderstood to be within the grasp of one of ordinary skill in the artwho is designing a device having units 1202-1212 such as device 1200.The description herein thus optionally supports combination, separation,and/or further definition of the functional blocks described herein.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 13 shows a functional blockdiagram of an electronic device 1300 configured in accordance with theprinciples of the various described embodiments. The functional blocksof the device are, optionally, implemented by hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software to carry out the principles of thevarious described embodiments, including those described with referenceto the user interfaces of FIG. 7.

As seen in FIG. 13, exemplary electronic device 1300 includes displayunit 1302 configured to display graphical objects including the digitalviewfinders described above; input interface unit 1304 configured todetect user input. Optionally, device 1300 includes touch-sensitivesurface unit 1306 either as part of or operatively coupled to inputinterface unit 1304 configured to detect touch input. In someembodiments, touch-sensitive surface unit 1306, when present, isseparate from display unit 1302. In some embodiments, touch-sensitivesurface unit 1306, when present, forms a touch screen with display unit1302. Device 1300 also includes camera units 1306 and 1308 configured tocapture visual content; memory unit 1310 configured to store contentcaptured by one or more of the cameras; and visual media capturing unit1312 configured to capture visual media such as videos and/or images(and optionally, non-visual media such as audio). Device 1300 alsoincludes processing unit 1314. In some embodiments processing unit 1314supports an input detection unit 1316 that is configured to detect inputvia input interface unit 1306; viewfinder zooming unit 1318 configuredto provide zooming features for digital viewfinder(s) displayed viadisplay unit 1302; viewfinder panning unit 1320 configured to pan thecontents of digital viewfinder(s) displayed via display unit 1302;recording unit 1322 configured to record visual media (and optionallynon-visual media) using first camera 1308 and/or second camera 1310;playback unit 1324 for playing back recorded media; and display enablingunit 1326 for enabling the display of content in display unit 1302.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1314 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1326), via a first portion ofdisplay unit 1302, of a first digital viewfinder, the first digitalviewfinder displaying content from first camera 1308; enable display(e.g., with display enabling unit 1326), via a second portion of thedisplay unit, of a second digital viewfinder, the second digitalviewfinder displaying content from second camera 1310; detect (e.g.,with input detection unit 1316), a first input. In response to detectingthe first input, visual media storing unit 1312 is configured toconcurrently store first visual media using content from first camera1308 and store second visual media using content from second camera1310, where first camera 1308 and second camera 1310 have overlappingfields of view, and where the first visual media and the second visualmedia have different visual characteristics.

In some embodiments, the different visual characteristics comprisedifferent frame rates. In some embodiments, the different visualcharacteristics comprise different resolutions. In some embodiments, thedifferent visual characteristics comprise different digital filters.

In some embodiments, the fields of view of first camera 1308 and secondcamera 1310 overlap by at least fifty percent. In some embodiments,first camera 1308 has a first focal length and second camera 1310 has asecond focal length different than the first focal length. In someembodiments, first camera 1308 has a fixed focal length and secondcamera 1310 has a fixed focal length. In some embodiments, second camera1310 has a longer focal length than first camera 1308.

In some embodiments, visual media storing unit 1312 is configured toconcurrently store the first visual media and the second visual mediaby: storing a still image using content from first camera 1308, andstoring a video using content from second camera 1310 (e.g., with visualmedia storage unit 1312).

In some embodiments, processing unit 1314 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1326), via display unit 1302,of a collection of affordances representing stored visual media, thecollection comprising an affordance for initiating playback (e.g., withplayback unit 1324) of the second visual media, where the affordancecomprises an image of the first visual media.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1314 is configured to: enabledisplay (e.g., with display enabling unit 1326), via display unit 1302,of the first visual media in the first portion of display unit 1302 andsimultaneously display the second visual media in the second portion ofdisplay unit 1302.

In some embodiments, processing unit 1314 is configured to: whileconcurrently storing the first visual media and the second visual media,store (e.g., with visual media storing unit 1312) non-visual media; andassociate the non-visual media with the first visual media and thesecond visual media (e.g., with visual media storing unit 1312).

The operations described above with respect to FIG. 10, optionally,implemented by components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1B, 3, or FIG. 13. Forexample, detecting operation 1006 is, optionally, implemented by eventsorter 170, event recognizer 180, and event handler 190. Event monitor171 in event sorter 170 detects user input on an input device, and eventdispatcher module 174 delivers the event information to application 143.A respective event recognizer 180 of application 143 compares the eventinformation to respective event definitions 186, and determines whetherthe input represents an instruction to store viewfinder(s) content. Whena respective event or sub-event is detected, event recognizer 180activates an event handler 190, which may use or call data updater 176,object updater 177, or GUI updater 178 to perform correspondingapplication updates. It would be clear to a person of ordinary skill inthe art how other processes can be implemented based on the componentsdepicted in FIGS. 1A-1B and/or FIG. 3.

It is understood by persons of skill in the art that the functionalblocks described in FIG. 13 are, optionally, combined or separated intosub-blocks to implement the principles of the various describedembodiments. Therefore, the description herein optionally supports anypossible combination or separation or further definition of thefunctional blocks described herein. For example, units 1302-1312 canhave associated “controller” units that are operatively coupled with therespective unit and processing unit 1314 to enable operation. Thesecontroller units are not separately illustrated in FIG. 13 but areunderstood to be within the grasp of one of ordinary skill in the artwho is designing a device having units 1302-1312 such as device 1300.The description herein thus optionally supports combination, separation,and/or further definition of the functional blocks described herein.

Although the disclosure and examples have been fully described withreference to the accompanying figures, it is to be noted that variouschanges and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in theart. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as beingincluded within the scope of the disclosure and examples as defined bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory computer readable storage mediumstoring one or more programs, the one or more programs comprisinginstructions, which, when executed by a portable electronic device witha first camera, a second camera, and a display, cause the device toperform a method of: displaying a digital viewfinder comprising contentfrom one of the first and second camera displayed at a zoom setting;detecting input representing an instruction to store visual media; andin response to detecting the input representing the instruction to storevisual media: in accordance with a determination that the zoom settingis below a threshold zoom value, storing visual media using content fromthe first camera; and in accordance with a determination that the zoomsetting is above the threshold zoom value, storing visual media usingcontent from the second camera.
 2. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium of claim 1, wherein the first camera has a first focallength and the second camera has a second focal length different thanthe first focal length.
 3. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 1, wherein the first camera has a fixed focal length andthe second camera has a fixed focal length.
 4. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying thedigital viewfinder comprises: displaying content from the first camerain the digital viewfinder, in accordance with a determination that thezoom setting is below the threshold zoom value.
 5. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying thedigital viewfinder comprises: displaying content from the second camerain the digital viewfinder, in accordance with a determination that thezoom setting is above the threshold zoom value.
 6. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying thedigital viewfinder comprises displaying content from the first camera ata zoom setting lower than the threshold zoom value, the method furthercomprising: detecting input representing a request to set the zoomsetting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value; and inresponse to detecting the input representing the request to set the zoomsetting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value, zooming thedigital viewfinder by displaying content from the first camera and thenswitching to displaying content from the second camera.
 7. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, whereinzooming the digital viewfinder includes performing a digital zoomoperation on content from the first camera, wherein the first camera hasa wider field of view than the second camera, before switching todisplaying content from the second camera.
 8. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising:detecting the user's specification of a point of interest in the digitalviewfinder; and when switching from displaying content from the firstcamera to displaying content from the second camera, adjusting therelative positions of the displayed content from the first camera andthe displayed content from the second camera to reduce the appearance ofparallax at the point of interest.
 9. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium of claim 1, wherein displaying the digitalviewfinder comprises displaying content from the first camera at a zoomsetting lower than the threshold zoom value, the method furthercomprising: detecting input representing a request to set the zoomsetting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value; and inresponse to detecting the input representing the request to set the zoomsetting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value, zooming thedigital viewfinder to display content from the first camera at thethreshold zoom value.
 10. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 9, wherein the input representing the request to set thezoom setting to a value greater than the threshold zoom value is a firstinput, the method further comprising: after detecting the first input,while the zoom setting is set to the threshold zoom value, detecting asecond input representing a second request to set the zoom setting to asecond value greater than the threshold zoom value; and in response todetecting the second input, zooming the digital viewfinder to displaycontent from the second camera at the second value of zoom setting. 11.The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, furthercomprising: displaying in the digital viewfinder a visual indication ofthe zoom setting.
 12. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 1, further comprising: displaying in the digitalviewfinder a visual indication of the threshold zoom value.
 13. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, whereinzooming the digital viewfinder to display content from the second cameraat the requested zoom setting value comprises: displaying a transitioneffect in the digital viewfinder indicative of the zoom setting changingfrom a value at the threshold zoom value to a value above the thresholdzoom value, wherein the transition effect transitions between an imagecaptured by the first camera and an image captured by the second camera.14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1,wherein the first camera has a wider field of view than the secondcamera and the digital viewfinder comprises content from the firstcamera, regardless of the zoom setting.
 15. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the electronic device has atouch-sensitive surface and the first and second cameras haveoverlapping fields of view, the method further comprising: whiledisplaying content from one of the first and second cameras in thedigital viewfinder, detecting one or more taps on the touch-sensitivesurface; and in response to detecting the one or more taps, switchingthe displayed content of the digital viewfinder to content from theother camera of the first and second cameras.
 16. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising: whiledisplaying content from one of the first and second cameras in thedigital viewfinder, displaying a camera selection affordance, the cameraselection affordance displaying content from the other camera of thefirst and second cameras.
 17. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more taps is detected ata location of the touch-sensitive surface corresponding to the cameraselection affordance.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 1, wherein the second camera has a longer focal lengththan the first camera.
 19. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 1, wherein the fields of view of the first and secondcameras overlap by at least fifty percent.
 20. The non-transitorycomputer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the zooming isdigital zooming.
 21. A method, comprising: at an electronic device witha first camera, a second camera, and a display: displaying a digitalviewfinder comprising content from one of the first and second camerasdisplayed at a zoom setting; detecting input representing an instructionto store visual media; and in response to detecting the inputrepresenting the instruction to store visual media: in accordance with adetermination that the zoom setting is below a threshold zoom value,storing visual media using content from the first camera; and inaccordance with a determination that the zoom setting is above thethreshold zoom value, storing visual media using content from the secondcamera.
 22. An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; amemory; a first camera; a second camera; a display; andcomputer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executableinstructions are stored in the memory and configured to be executed bythe one or more processors, the computer-executable instructionsincluding instructions for: displaying a digital viewfinder comprisingcontent from one of the first and the second camera displayed at a zoomsetting; detecting input representing an instruction to store visualmedia; and in response to detecting the input representing theinstruction to store visual media: in accordance with a determinationthat the zoom setting is below a threshold zoom value, storing visualmedia using content from the first camera; and in accordance with adetermination that the zoom setting is above the threshold zoom value,storing visual media using content from the second camera.